


The Human, The Witch and Their Daughter

by Jordswriteswords



Series: Magical Beginnings [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Clextober, Clextober 2019, F/F, Magic, Magical Accidents, Married Clarke Griffin/Lexa, Modern Setting Clarke Griffin/Lexa, Parents Clarke Griffin/Lexa, Witch Lexa (The 100), Witch!Anya, Witch!Lexa, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-12-27 19:15:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 22,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21123833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jordswriteswords/pseuds/Jordswriteswords
Summary: Formerly Clextober 2019.Life with the Griffin-Woods clan. Human!Clarke, Witch!Lexa, and their daughter, half-witch!Madi get up to hijinks at every turn.





	1. Flannel

**Author's Note:**

> Clextober 2019! Aka, 13 days of Clexa!
> 
> I'm just writing with no editing, so be easy on me! 
> 
> Enjoy
> 
> HMU on Instagram and Tumblr @jordwriteswords

"Faster!"

"I'm going as fast as I can, Clarke!" Lexa tried her best to be gentle with her wife, but frustration was mounting as the moaning from beside her grew more pained.

Lexa slammed her hand down on the horn of her car, a loud honk trilling out into the jammed highway.

"Fuck me," Lexa sighed, knowing it was pointless to be mad at the traffic for existing.

Clarke let out a pained grunt, followed by a pitiful whine. 

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Lexa soothed. She wiped Clarke's sweaty brow with her sleeve.

"I don't want your apologies, I just want -- ahhh!" Clarke's scolding was cut off by another sharp pain.

"Oh, baby, I'm sorry," Lexa said again. 

"This is all your fault!" Clarke cried. "You did this to me!"

"I know, I know. If only this fucking traffic would move!" Lexa slammed her hand down on the horn again, somehow hoping that the cars would magically move for them. They needed to get to the hospital  _ now _ .

Tears leaked out of Clarke's eyes as another wave of pain washed over her. Lexa leaned over and pressed kisses to her temple. 

"I don't think I'm going to make it, Lex," Clarke cried.

Lexa gaped at her wife. They had to make it. They  _ had _ to. Lexa didn't know what to do. "Just breathe. Follow me," she tried to coach.

Clarke tried to follow, but she was cut off by another whirlwind of pain, screaming into the dash of the car. Lexa nearly split her lip, biting it out if sympathy for her wife.

"Help me," Clarke said. "Help me into the back. Please."

Lexa growled at the traffic again, then swung the driver side door open. The cars still hadn't budged. She ran around the SUV to the passenger door and nearly ripped the handle off upon opening. She undid Clarke's seatbelt and took her in her arms and placed her in the backseat. She took one last glance out at what seemed to be never-moving traffic and climbed into the back with her wife.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, wiping Clarke's brow again. 

"I love you," Clarke breathed through her exhaustion. 

"I love you, too," Lexa said. She took Clarke's hand between hers and pressed kisses to her knuckles.

The blonde leaned her head back against the glass in desperate search of coolness to soothe her sweaty brow. 

"It's time, Lex, it's time," she cried.

Lexa's chin wobbled, and she took off her flannel shirt and placed it on the seat between them.

"Okay, baby, on three, I want you to push. One, two, three."

***

The sound of sharp, terrified cries filled the car. 

It was music to the couple's ears.

Lexa wrapped her flannel around the little bundle of flesh, using her sleeves to wipe away as much fluid and blood from it's little face.

"It's a girl," she whispered, eyes filled with so much love when she looked at the strongest woman in the world - her wife. "It's a girl," she repeated, amazed by the tiny fingers that grasped onto her thumb.

"It's our little girl," Clarke said, chin wobbling with emotion as she looked at the love of her life holding their baby girl. 

Lexa let her tears flow as she passed the bundle of flannel joy to her partner, leaning over her to give her a careful kiss. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Clarke responded. "I love you both."

Clarke held their baby girl to her chest, tracing her fingers over her dark brown curls. "She's got quite the head of hair," she laughed, her own tears leaking from her eyes.

"She's got your eyes," Lexa commented as the baby opened them just enough to gaze up at her mommies before closing them back and snuggling down in the soft red and black material.

"Hi, baby," Lexa said. "happy birthday."


	2. A Pinch of Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven learns that baby magic is unpredictable

"Give me my God daughter!" Raven commanded. Anya flicked her wrist and a sandal flew up and smacked Raven in the back of the head.

"Ouch! You're not supposed to use spells when I'm not looking!"

"They might be sleeping, you dimwit."

Clarke was lying on the couch as her daughter babbled nonsense, face scrunched in determination as her little hands reached for the toys above on her mobile. 

"Give me my God daughter!" Raven stage-whispered from behind the couch.

Clarke, already hearing the commotion at her front door, sat up and chuckled. She glanced down at her daughter, intently trying to reach the toys. "Madi, you have company," she cooed playfully. When the little one looked up at her mommy, Clarke swooped her up into her arms and blew raspberries on her cheek. The toys she was previously playing with jiggled with her laugh.

Raven's hands opened and closed repeatedly as she sat on the carpet where the baby once was. "Gimme."

"Go wash your hands," Anya scolded, pushing her wife to the sink. Raven pouted, but got up and marched off to the bathroom. Anya winked at her sister-in-law and leaned forward to kiss her cheek before sitting on the couch next to her. "How are you feeling? Lexa said you've been having a rough go of it now that Madi's teething."

Clarke shrugged and adjusted the hold on her squirming daughter, desperate to get to her Aunt. "It's been… interesting."

"Well, go take a shower, we're here for a bit."

"Thanks Ahn," Clarke sighed. She kissed her daughter's head before relinquishing her hold on the baby. "Be good for your aunties, Madi." Madi babbled and cooed in return, grabby hands pulling on Anya's hair and giving her 'kisses' by licking her face.

Clarke's laugh at Anya's disgusted expression could be heard from the top of the stairs.

Raven exited the bathroom with a pout. "Not fair. You always get to hold her first."

"Because I'm her favourite," Anya retorted, bouncing Madi on her lap.

Raven scoffed. "Never. She loves to play with me!" 

"Because you always end up blowing something up, and then Clarke and Lexa end up yelling at the _both _of us. Isn't that right, Madi?" She asked, peppering the young girl's face with kisses.

Raven's mouth hung open for a half second before she conceded to the elder Woods. She flopped down on the floor next to the play area and immediately began tinkering with Madi's toys. Madi watched intently as Raven distracted herself with her mobile. She babbled to Anya, her face scrunching and relaxing as she watched her aunt. Five minutes later, Madi was leaning out of Anya's reach go get to Raven.

"Ha! I told you she loves to play with me."

"She's probably wondering what you're doing to her things!" Madi looked on curiously as Raven continued to play with her toys. She pointed at things and Raven would pass them to her, only for Madi to become distracted with the next thing that Raven had, and point again. It went on like this until Raven ran out of toys, and Madi giggled happily at her giant pile. 

"What are you doing?" Anya asked around a laugh. 

"I have no idea," Raven responded. "It's keeping her happy, though," she said with a shrug.

Anya looked up to the stairs to check where their host was. She whispered over to her partner, "Clarke looks tired."

"Clarke _is _tired," Raven responded. "It's not easy to raise a magical baby. _Especially_ when you don't have even a pinch of magic."

Madi's cheeks grew warm as she continued to play, and eventually, the toys ended up in her mouth, her suckling on them to try to soothe the ache of her gums. 

"Magical babies aren't that hard. You're doing great with her." Anya secretly admired the love of her life while she played with her niece.

"We're not her parents. And I'm _me_. Let's see if she responds to some regular old human magic." Raven reached toward Madi's face and pinched her nose between her first and second fingers. She pulled back, wiggling her thumb between the two digits, joking, "I've got your nose!"

Madi stared at her aunt's fingers, her face morphing into one of confusion. Raven pretended to put her nose back, and Madi immediately reached up to touch her nose. Raven and Anya laughed at the cute display, and Raven did it again. Before she could move her hand away, however, Madi grabbed at her hand to stop Raven from stealing her nose.

Raven laughed. "Okay, you try," she coached the girl.

Madi reached her hand out to Raven's face and slapped down on her nose. Her fingernails were sharp, but her grabby little hands did no harm. Madi suddenly sneezed and let go of Raven's face. 

"Gross," Raven cringed, wiping her niece's snot off her face. "It's just as gross from a baby as it is from an adult."

Raven looked to her wife and chuckled.

Anya gasped and her eyes went wide. "Uh, Raven…"

Raven's eyes matched her wife's and get laughter died in her throat. "What?" She asked, panic brewing in her stomach.

"Maybe you should, uhh, it's, um…" Anya pulled out her wand and flicked her wrist. A handheld mirror appeared in her hand and she turned it to her wife's face. 

Raven nearly screamed. "M-m-m-my face!" She whispered. "My nose!" 

Where her nose once was, there was now a gaping hole.

A slow smile crept onto Madi's face, until she began laughing and clapping emphatically. 

Anya tried her best to stifle her laughter, but was struggling as Raven let out whine after whine every time she looked at her face in the mirror.

"Fix it," she pleaded with her wife. 

"I can't," Anya laughed. "I don't know what spell she used and we're not of the same family."

Raven scoffed. "You're her aunt!" 

"Only immediate family can undo the spell."

Raven whined. 

Madi continued to laugh.

"Is that my baby girl laughing, I hear?" Clarke said as she bounded down the stairs. Her hair was still wet from the shower she had just taken. She rounded the corner and shrieked when she saw the gaping hole in her friend's face. "Oh my God, Raven! What happened?"

"Uhh," Raven said, scratching the back of her head. "I taught Madi a new game?"

Clarke just sighed. Madi, no longer the centre of attention, started fussing, her cheeks warming with her uncomfortable gums.

Anya picked the baby up off the floor and bounced her as she fussed, but the baby reached for Clarke, wanting to be comforted by her mommy. Raven, trying to protect her friend from the same fate, lunged to stop Madi from grabbing Clarke's nose. The sudden movement startled the baby. 

"Oh, no, no, no, no baby, wait --," Clarke tried, but it was too late. Madi burst into tears, her cries so loud that the walls shook with the sound. Raven and Anya had to cover their ears. 

Lexa appeared, foot connecting with the soccer ball just seconds after apparating in the living room, and sending the black and white ball careening into the corner, knocking the decorative vase off the table and crashing to the floor.

The noise scared Madi even more, and her cries became deafening. 

"What the --," Lexa immediately covered her ears as the sounds registered. She snapped her fingers, producing a pair of earmuffs for herself and Clarke. She put hers over her ears and the other over Clarke's, much to the relief of her wife. She produced two more and floated them over to Anya, who snatched them out of the ear and covered both her and Raven's ears.

Clarke, finally able to think, raced to the fridge to grab the cooling teether for Madi and gently placed it on her sore gums.

The adults all sighed in relief as the deafening screams stopped, each removing their protective ear covers.

"What just happened?" Raven yelled, forgetting she was wearing earmuffs. Anya slapped her arm and pulled them off her head. Raven repeated the question at a much more respectable level.

"When she cries, she has the ability to summon the banshees. It's a protective spell, meant to disarm whoever it is that is hurting her. Anya and I both have the gift, too. It's passed down on the witch side of our family."

"How have I never known this?"

"We've never had to use it," Anya shrugged.

"What about - where - how the H-E-double-hockey-sticks did you know to appear?"

Clarke laughed. "Madi can make us appear wherever she is when she needs us."

"That must be horrible when you're getting it on."

Anya smacked her wife's arm.

"It's been interesting - wait, what happened to your face?" Lexa deflected. 

"New game. Fix me, please," she begged.

Lexa laughed, snapped her fingers and Raven's nose appeared back on her face. Raven breathed a sigh of relief, happily caressing her nose with her fingertips. 

Lexa cleaned the mess that she made with the soccer ball, and turned to her wife. "You okay?" She asked. Clarke sighed and nodded. Lexa kissed the top of Madi's head, and the baby reached for her mama, immediately falling asleep in Lexa's warm grasp.

"She can't control her magic yet," Lexa said. "It's not as easy as a full witch. Because she's only half-witch, it's a little more unpredictable."

"A little?" Raven whined.

Madi sneezed again. 

Raven squealed and dropped to the floor behind the couch just to be safe. 


	3. Ghoul's Night Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa and Anya have a girls night.

Maleficent's Bar for the Mischievous was bubbling on Friday night. There were witches and wizards and wild things fraternizing with one another, drinking bubbling potions, and doing shots of dragon's fire.

"It's busy," Lexa whined.

"It's Friday."

"Exactly, let's go home." Before she could take a single step, Anya had flicked her wrist and floated Lexa to through the door. Lexa snapped her fingers with a huff, breaking the spell and allowing herself to land gracefully in the dirty red carpet of the club.

A few nymphs turned to take stock of the new arrivals. Anya had made her way straight to the bar to get the two of them drinks, knowing that Lexa wouldn't relax until she had at least one drink in her system. She slid the dragon fire shot in front of her sister when she found her at the table. "This will help you loosen up a bit."

"I don't need to loosen up," Lexa grumbled.

Anya slugged back her shot and burped out a ball of fire. "Yes, you really do. You're a world-famous soccer player, but you act like someone just stole your binky."

"Do you know how difficult it is to not turn Ontari Winters into a pineapple when she gets rough on the field?" Lexa pressed on the bruise on her calf, given to her by her nemesis earlier in the day.

"More reason to indulge in a little magical mischief, Lexa." Anya tapped on the shot glass in front of Lexa. The brunette rolled her eyes, but took the shot, burping out a bright ball of fire. "We're having a girls night - or a ghoul's night, what have you."

Anya smacked her back when Lexa choked on her lame pun. "Where is Clarke and the baby, anyway?"

"Madi's with Clarke's parents. Jake said something about teaching her physics will help her control her powers."

"Isn't she like, six months?"

"Ten months. You're literally the worst aunt."

"She loves me."

"She doesn't know any better."

Anya scoffed.

"Clarke's at home with Raven. 'a night with no magic' she said."

"Oh, so they're watching rom-coms and eating ice cream."

"Probably."

"Bottoms up, then," Anya said, clinking her second shot glass on top of Lexa's. The sisters knocked back another shot, both burping up a fireball. 

"Hello there gorgeous," the wizard greeted from behind the bar when Lexa walked up for the next round. "What can I do ya for?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and blew a kiss over to Lexa, the puff of pink smoke turning to a floating heart. 

Lexa swatted at it, clearing the smoke from her face. "Just 2 beers."

"Jasper, what are you doing?" The other bartender interrupted.

"Nothing, Echo. I'm just pouring a beer!" 

Her eyes flashed a bright blue in annoyance at her coworker, and Jasper cowered. Her fangs extended in warning, and Jasper squealed before disappearing with a wink. "It's on the house," Echo said to Lexa, sliding the beer down the counter. "Because my employee is a moron."

"Thanks," Lexa replied. 

After an hour, Lexa grew more quiet, her eyes glazing over just slightly with her drunkenness.

"For you, from the table over there," Echo said, placing down two shots on the table. Lexa looked around and saw two elven girls, beautiful in their own right, waving at them. Lexa nodded to them, picking up the shot with her left hand and brazenly showing her wedding ring. She downed it with a smirk at their expressions.

"That was cold," Anya joked.

Lexa shrugged. "I don't care."

Her eyes glazed over as she spoke, and she hiccupped. A bubble escaped her lips, and Anya nearly fell out of her chair with laughter. "Someone is drunk!" Her sister teased.

"Am not" Lexa lied. Her bottom lip jutted out in a pout. "I'm hungry," she corrected. 

Suddenly, the table was filled with French fries and burritos. Lexa's eyes lit up. 

Anya brow furrowed. "Did you mean to do that?" She asked.

Lexa was too busy shoving french fries into her mouth to answer, so she just shook her head. She did manage to mumble, "I wish I had a soda." 

Anya dove off her chair just in time to miss the sudden downpour of soda that came from the space above Lexa's head, soaking the brunette to the core.

Anya got up and smacked the other shot off the table. "Fucking elves! They spiked the shot with elven magic."

Lexa blinked at her sister, too drunk to understand. 

Gesturing wildly, Anya explained, "Anything you say is going to appear. They were hoping you'd mention one of them and they'd end up being summoned over to the table. We should go."

"No," Lexa whined. "I don't wanna bother Clarke."

"You won't be bothering her."

"I miss Clarke," Lexa pouted.

Suddenly, a loud pop and a flash of light flashed, and none other than Clarke Griffin appeared, spoon in her mouth and ice cream in her hand. She fell from the space above Lexa's head and landed right in her lap. 

"Clarke!" Lexa cheered. She let out another hiccup, and a bubble floated between the two girls, popping above their heads. "I was just missing you!" Lexa explained.

"I thought I said no magic tonight," the blonde said, wrapping her arms behind Lexa's neck. The witch pouted at Clarke's playful glare.

"It was an accident. She got spiked with - honestly, nevermind. Basically, anything she wants will appear tonight, so just be careful."

Lexa buried her head in Clarke's neck while the blonde traced patterns on her skin. "Why is she sticky?" She asked Anya.

"She wanted a drink. Hold on." Anya flicked her wrist and Lexa immediately dried.

"Where are we?" Clarke asked, now taking stock of her surroundings. She tried to snuggle closer when she realized that she was in her pyjamas in a bar full of… magic.

Clarke, cheeks red with embarrassment, turned to her and said, "send me back home? Raven's probably confused and you're out having fun with your sister."

The brunette pouted and grumbled unhappily. 

"I just called Raven. We should probably get going anyway. Lexa's toasted."

"Mmm, toast," Lexa said. 

Anya covered her head as slices and slices of toast rained down upon them. Echo sent a withering look at them, and Clarke sighed.

"Lexa, baby, let's go home and go to bed."

"Bed?" Lexa asked, and Clarke pinched the bridge of her nose.

A bed appeared in the middle of the dancefloor, nearly squishing a few patrons of the bar.

"Home. Now," Clarke commanded. Lexa pouted, but conceded, snapping her fingers and taking her and her wife home without even a goodbye to her sister.

Anya sighed and rolled up her sleeves, already beginning to clean the club of Lexa's presence.

As soon as Clarke and Lexa reappeared in their home, Raven screamed, dropping her ice cream and clutching her chest.

Lexa also screamed, throwing the closest object, Clarke, at her friend. "What the fuck is on your face?" Lexa screamed.

"It's a facemask! Humans don't have perfect skin! -- Did you just throw your wife at me?"

Lexa's eyes widened and she hid behind her hands.

"I can see you, Lexa," Clarke said, arms crossed over her chest. Lexa let her hands slide down over her face until she connected with her wife. "No more talking until you sober up because I don't want anymore toast or furniture flying at my head tonight."

Lexa nodded in defeat and dragged her feet up the stairs to bed, Clarke close behind.

"Do I even want to know?" Raven yelled to no one.

She screamed again when Anya suddenly appeared in front of her. "What the fuck?! I thought this was supposed to be a magic-free night?!"

* * *


	4. Pumpkin and Spice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke, Lexa and Madi visit the pumpkin patch!

"Isn't it great?" Clarke asked. She spun around in a circle with her arms wide, soaking in the scent of pumpkin spice in the air. She and Lexa had taken Madi out to the pumpkin patch to enjoy some pumpkin spice drinks, and pick out a large pumpkin to carve for Halloween.

"It's alright," Lexa replied halfheartedly, struggling to push the stroller through the patch of pumpkins.

Clarke froze. "Why do you sound so unhappy? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Lexa laughed and kissed her wife's cheek, adjusting her scarf at the same time. "I'm fine." She pushed the stroller through the pumpkins again, marvelling at the tiny hands reaching out to try and grab every single pumpkin they passed. "Look at how big they are, Madi!" She exclaimed. She knelt down by her baby girl, always enchanted by the blue eyes that so resembled their mommy's. "Do you like pumpkins?"

Madi gurgled up at her mom, then clapped with joy. "Pum, mama, pum!"

"Yes, baby, pumpkins!"

"Wait a second!" Clarke called, tapping on her wife's shoulder. Lexa sighed, made a silly face at Madi to get her to laugh again, and stood up to face her wife.

She was met with the most concerned blue eyes she had ever seen. "What do you mean, 'it's alright'. You  _ love  _ pumpkins. You're the reason we always come here every year since we met!"

"Yes, but --"

"Spit it out, Lexa." Clarke crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot in the mud.

"It's just that --" Lexa played with the loose strands of hair that had fallen to the side of her jacket. "It's just -- I only love this because of the face  _ you _ make. You get so excited thinking that I love them and it's adorable, really, but I actually  _ hate  _ pumpkins. And pumpkin pie. And pumpkin spice. And pumpkin everything. I'm allergic."

"You're  _ allergic?"  _ Clarke cried. "You've been  _ allergic  _ this entire time and didn't tell me? What if you went into shock? Lexa! I'm a doctor, for Christ's sake!"

"It's different! It's magic allergic. I basically, uhh, well --" she raised her sleeve and showed her wife the skin of her arm.

Which, was now, orange.

"You - you - you turn orange?"

Lexa's cheeks turned a dark red. "Don't make fun of me. I turn  _ into  _ a pumpkin. Or well, like, a bunch of pumpkins in the shape of me. Didn't you ever think it was weird that I'd disappear for a day after we come here?"

"I thought you had soccer! I didn't think you were  _ actually _ turning into a pumpkin! Ugh! I really shouldn't be surprised anymore, honestly. This is what I get for being madly in love with a witch."

Madi sneezed, and both parents turned to say, "Bless you." Before continuing their conversation. 

"You say it like it's a bad thing?" Lexa pouted.

"God, no, I love you. So much. I love you more every day, I just wish you told me. Is there anything I can do?" Clarke worried, taking Lexa's wrist in her hand.

Lexa shrugged. "It wears off after twenty-four hours, but I just - can we just not eat anymore pumpkin flavoured things?"

Clarke laughed and kissed her wife softly. "Deal. Let's hit the road, Jack...O-lantern."

"Not funny," Lexa scolded as Clarke barked out a laugh. "It's not funny, right Madi?"

When there was no response, Lexa leaned over the stroller and asked, "Madi?" Her eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw the empty stroller.

"What?" Clarke asked. 

Lexa's mouth open and closed many times, but all she could get out was a gasp of, "Madi," and point to the stroller.

Clarke's eyes watered as she looked to her wife in a panic. "Madi!" She yelled, looking around the field. "Madi! - Lexa, I don't see her anywhere!"

"She couldn't have gotten far," Lexa said, already snapping her fingers to levitate above the fields. 

"Madi! Madi, baby, where are you?!"

Before Lexa had flown too far, Clarke heard the gurgling laughter of her toddler. She spun around trying to locate the sound, but couldn't find the curly brown mane of her baby. The giggle sounded again, and the stirring of orange pumpkins caught Clarke's eye. Before she could speak, the small pile of pumpkins stood up and attached themselves to Clarke's leg. 

"Mommy!" Clarke heard, and she let out a sigh of relief and a laugh of disbelief at the same time.

Lexa landed next to Clarke and picked up the pile of pumpkins. "Mama!" It said.

Lexa groaned.

"Looks like it's hereditary," Clarke sighed. "At least it makes costume shopping easier."

"Not funny!" Lexa complained.

"It also makes sense why you love candles so much," Clarke teased further.

"Clarke!" Lexa whined.

Clarke leaned over and kissed her wife soundly on her lips, and Lexa hummed into it. "Turning into a pumpkin is totally worth that kiss.".


	5. Scary Stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Costia tells stories of her past with Lexa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Itty bitty tiny angst

Clarke chewed her lip as she sat next to her wife, trying to stop herself from bursting into tears.

Because they sat across from Lexa's long time ex-girlfriend, Costia. She was… perfect. She was the complete opposite of Clarke, dark skin and dark hair and perfection all rolled into one. Every time she batted her eyes or smiled or glanced at her wife, Clarke felt a pang of insecurity deep in her stomach. Costia was a witch from a wealthy family, and she and Lexa spent their teenage years traversing the earth and indulging in their powers.

"Oh, remember that time that you turned John Murphy into an ant-eater?"

Lexa's beautiful laugh rang through the restaurant. "His nose has never really gone back to normal." Lexa wiped the tears that had formed from laughing too hard.

"You always were my hero."

Lexa shrugged and traced her thumb along the back of Clarke's hand as a gentle reassurance of her love, but Clarke was too far gone, her mind whirring with the pain of not being enough. She dug her fingernails into her jeans to try and calm her anxiety. 

"Oh God, remember when we flew to Tuscany to visit my aunt?" Lexa said.

"Yes, and you didn't tell me she was a Vampire. I nearly shat my pants when I caught her looking at me in the mirror. Obviously, I couldn't see  _ her!" _

"Well, you always had a proclivity to walk around naked." Lexa scrunched her eyes shut when she felt Clarke stiffen next to her. She internally groaned.

Clarke grabbed her hand and stopped her from snapping her fingers. "No way are you doing a rewind spell. You get to keep your foot stuck in your mouth for that one." She gave her a terse smile and Lexa pouted at her lover.

"What about the time we went to Brazil and watched Carnival from the top of the Jesus statue? There were so many vampires out that night."

"I know. They were ready to flee before we showed them our own magic.”

“Vampires are scared of witches?” 

“No, but Lexa has always had the uncanny ability to scare anyone when she wants to. She can be intimidating.”

Clarke snorted a laugh, and both women turned to look at her. “Sorry, you just said that Lexa can be intimidating. She’s about as scary as a puppy.”

“Oh, I have a few stories of Lexa’s ferocity.”

“I bet you do,” Clarke muttered under her breath.

Lexa poked her wife's leg, and Clarke adjusted herself to give a wane smile.

“When we were fourteen, this girl Nia was an absolute terror to the two of us. She would bully me because my hair was just a poof of curls, and would always cast the Medusa curse on me when I wasn’t looking. One day, Lexa had enough and put the Elsa curse on her. She turned her boyfriend to a block of ice, and then turned herself right after.”

“Yeah, that wasn’t my finest moment,” Lexa said bashfully.

“And another time, she poisoned the punch at the school dance with wolfsbane and made the entire senior class develop fleas!”

“Why?” Clarke asked.

“Anya's date tried to make a move on her.”

Clarke laughed, and Lexa smiled bashfully. “Always so protective.”

“And ruthless,” Costia added.

“It added to my charm,” Lexa defended.

The laughter died down, and then Costia spoke of the scariest story of all. "Remember the time we tried to run away together?"

Lexa's cheeks burned red. "Yes. I wasn't happy that you were moving."

"Me neither. I was crazy over you. We made it all the way to Manhattan before our parents found us."

"Yeah."

“We even got married.”

Clarke’s ears felt like they were suddenly stuffed with cotton at that statement.

She knows her lips formed the words, but couldn't hear herself when she asked, “Married?”

“Oh, yes,” Costia laughed. “We got our stuffed animals to be our witnesses and had Mr. Tuxedo, my penguin, to carry out the service. It obviously wasn't official, but it was the most magical ceremony I've ever been a part of.”

Lexa and Costia laughed at the memory, but Clarke felt a pang of hurt. She swallowed it down with a large helping of wine, trying to hold on until the end of the evening.

***

"Clarke? Clarke, what's wrong?" Lexa asked when her wife stormed past her into their house. Clarke just shook her head, forcing a tired smile.

"Nothing, I'm just tired."

"Oh, it's bad then." Lexa snapped her fingers and produced a bouquet of lilies, Clarke's favourite.

Clarke's eyes watered as she forced another smile. 

"Clarke, tell me what's wrong," Lexa pleaded.

"Nothing." She pushed the bouquet back into Lexa's chest and turned to walk up stairs.

Lexa snapped her fingers and appeared right in front of her, halting her progress before she could even make it five feet. "Please, talk to me."

"Can you not do that?" Clarke snapped. Lexa's brow furrowed, completely confused by her wife's reaction. 

Clarke turned and walked away from Lexa again, so Lexa snapped her fingers and placed herself beside her wife, walking with her. Without speaking, she played the video of the evening in front of them, trying to dissect and figure out where she went wrong.

Clarke waved her hand through the picture. "That! Can you not do that for like five seconds?!" She bit out, her cheeks turning red as she fought the lump in her throat. She collapsed onto the couch and crossed her arms over her chest, avoiding her wife's curious gaze.

Lexa hovered over to her, silently scrutinizing her wife's behaviour to find an answer.

"You're jealous," Lexa accused. Clarke huffed out a breath. "You are. You're jealous that Costia and I are still good friends after all we've been through."

"I'm not jealous," Clarke defended.

"You're something. You're obviously upset about dinner. What's your problem?"

Lexa was a master of sticking her foot in her mouth, and tonight was no exception. The look on the blondes face must have given away that she was in it for a few rounds.

The sounds of Madi's cries startled Clarke and Lexa from their conversation. Clarke wiped at her eyes and got up from the couch. "I'm not  _ jealous _ of your ex-girlfriend, Lexa. I need to go take care of Madi."

"Yeah, right," Lexa mumbled.

"I'm coming, baby," Clarke called, hoping the toddler wouldn't summon the banshees before she made it up the stairs.

"Hello, baby," Clarke picked up her toddler from her crib, the two year olds hands reaching for her mommy as she cried. 

"It's okay, mommy's here," Clarke tried to shush her. She bounced her on her shoulder as she took a seat in the rocker. Madi, unconsolable at the moment, stressed Clarke into crying along with her. Madi, concerned with the state of her mommy's face, cupped her cheeks and sniffled, summoning Lexa to her room with a puff of smoke.

Lexa fell onto the carpet with a loud thud.

Madi looked at Clarke, then to Lexa, and cried, "Mama," reaching out to the brunette.

Lexa dusted off her pants and stood up, taking the baby from her wife while Clarke tried to hide her tears. 

"Looks like she wants you," Clarke said, standing and trying to leave the room. The fact that her magical daughter chose her magical mother as opposed to her made the ache in her heart worse.

"Seriously, Clarke, just get over it! There's nothing to be jealous of."

"I'm not jealous of Costia. I'm - I'm - I'm hurting!"

"From what? A few stories from my life? You want me to hide that from you like the rest of you humans?"

"Wow." It felt like all of the air was sucked out of Clarke's lungs.

"Yeah, wow, I thought you were different."

"I thought you were, too," Clarke's voice cracked as she left the room.

Lexa immediately snapped her jaw shut, realizing that she had crossed a line.

Madi turned in Lexa's arms, her cries starting all over again and immediately searched for Clarke, but Clarke had already left. 

"Shh, baby, it's okay," Lexa cooed. "It's bedtime," but Madi was inconsolable again.

"Mommy," she wailed, and with a sniff, Clarke was deposited back in the rocking chair with a puff of smoke.

The blonde sighed and rolled her eyes. "Madi, no," she said.

"Mommy, mama," Madi whined. She clutched onto Lexa's flannel shirt as she reached towards Clarke, her hand opening and closing repeatedly as she came close to falling out of Lexa's embrace. "Mommy, mama," she repeated, her cries getting louder and louder the longer the couple refused to hold her.

Clarke stood up and extended her arms out to her baby, but she wouldn't let go of her Mama's shirt.

"She knows we're fighting," Clarke whispered.

"So then talk to me. Please," Lexa begged. "Tell me how to fix this."

Clarke sighed. Madi was still fussing, so she stepped closer to Lexa to support her daughter's weight and cast her eyes to the floor.

"I don't know why you're with me," Clarke whispered. "I'm not magical. I can't take you around the world. I can't even fix the car seat when it gets stuck." Tears rivered down her cheeks as she choked on her words.

"What? I don't care that you're --"

"I'm not Costia! She's beautiful and she's perfect and she's a witch, just like you! She gets you. She doesn't have to - she doesn't have to always explain to you why things are surprising or weird, and you don't have to explain anything to her. She just gets you, and it  _ scares me _ . Those stories of your past life were  _ terrifying  _ for me because they made me realize how inadequate I am for you."

"No, she gets being a witch. She doesn't get  _ me. _ "

Lexa snapped her fingers and produced the stuffed griffon for her daughter to snuggle, and snapped them again to produce tissue for Clarke. She wiped her wife's eyes gently. Lexa snapped her fingers a third time and two screens appeared before them.

Madi clapped excitedly at the prospect of movie time. "Moobie, moobie!"

Lexa flicked her wrist and the picture on the right screen rewound to the day they met - the day Clarke punched her in the face. The left screen was black, except for a red oval in the centre.

"Let me tell you a story," Lexa said. "This is the day we met. And the other screen is my heart."

"What?" Clarke asked, eyes wide. "You can do that?" 

Lexa shrugged. 

"Here's the moment I first laid eyes on you," Lexa said, noting the way the heart on the left pulsated quickly with a bright red light.

"And here's when you punched me." The heart screen filled with red, then beat at a steady hum as Lexa watched Clarke walk away. 

"Mommy, mama! Owie!"

"She deserved it, Madi. She knocked all of Raven's books off the table."

"I didn't know she had a brace and Anya wanted to help her! You just got to me first."

Lexa fast forwarded to the next scene, where she and Clarke first kissed. "This is the moment I started thinking about it," Lexa whispered. The screen with the heart beat so rapidly, Clarke's own heart matched the rhythm inside her chest. 

"And then when you finally kissed me," Lexa added, watching the screen flash like a strobe light.

Madi decided to give both her mommies a kiss then.

The heart beat slow and consistently when Lexa fast forwarded again to the day she told Clarke she loved her. "I wasn't nervous. I wasn't unsure. I knew I loved you."

"Mommy, Mama!" Madi shouted, pointing at the blonde and brunette on the screen.

Clarke's tears started to fall when she watched her wedding day through Lexa's eyes, and the way her heart appeared to have grown two sizes on the screen. "This is when you made me the happiest woman alive."

The next scene is the day Clarke told her she was pregnant, and Lexa's heart grew even more. The last scene is the day Madi was born, swaddled in Lexa's flannel. Clarke couldn't stop her tears when she saw the way Lexa looked at her and her daughter. 

"This was the day my heart was finally complete."

Madi blurted, "baby!" At the screen, pointing at herself. 

Lexa laughed turned the screen off to Madi's raucous applause. She cupped Clarke's cheek, wiping the tears from her eyes and said, "You get me. You're the best thing to have ever happened to me. You've given me happiness I could never imagine. There's nothing to be scared of. The only scary story would be the one where you aren't in my life."


	6. Vampires and Werewolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madi meets a vampire and a werewolf

"I hate you!" Madi screamed, slamming the door shut in her mother's face.

Tears formed in Clarke's eyes as she gaped at the white door. Her daughter had never said those words before, and although knowing that one day her child would utter them, the reality of it still stung like a fresh wound.

Clarke turned around and did what she always did when she needed to think - she painted.

Lexa left her to it, knowing her wife needed some space, but she worried, hovering by the door of her wife's art studio with a warm cup of tea in her hands an hour later.

"I know you're there," Clarke breathed out sadly. "You don't need to hover.”

“You know she doesn’t mean it.”

"She's only six," Clarke said, eyes watering again. "Our six year old hates me."

Lexa wrapped her arms around her wife's shoulders, pulling her into her chest for comfort. "She doesn't hate you."

"She turned Finn Jr. Into a fish," Clarke laughed at. "It's funny, but fish can't live outside of water, Lexa. She nearly killed the boy. Ms. Niylah had to keep him in a glass until you showed up. Sometimes your magic sucks," Clarke said with a sad chuckle. 

Lexa chuckles as well. "I just wish she'd tell us why she did it."

***

"You can't say those things to your mom, Mads," Lexa leaned against the frame of her daughter’s door, speaking gently to her daughter as she furiously threw things about her room.

"Well, I do!" Madi announced, hands on her hips. "She's always telling me I can't do magic and I'm always getting into trouble and you do magic all. the. time. and you don't get into any trouble at all."

"Your mother and I don't want you using magic at school because you're still learning how to control it. You're a half-ling, baby, it's different for you. It's just going to take a little more practice, and until then, we want you safe."

"Well, I hate you too, then. I hate both of you!"

"Madi," Lexa warned, green eyes sharp with frustration. "Enough. Get your jammies on, it's bedtime."

Madi crossed her arms and huffed at her mama, puffs of smoke pluming from her nostrils as her face reddened.

Ignoring the tantrum, Lexa said, "I'll be back in ten minutes to tuck you in."

***

"That didn't go as well as planned, she officially hates me, too," Lexa said, dropping down onto the couch next to Clarke.

"It's so hard for her," Clarke let her head rest on her wife's shoulder, brooding over what to do.

"You're a great mom, Clarke," Lexa said. "And a great wife." She placed a soft kiss to her temple and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"Ditto," Clarke replied. "Let’s tuck her in together. Tell her we love her even though she's mad at us."

***

"Madi?" Clarke asked, knocking lightly on the open door. "Honey, can we come in?"

At the lack of response, Clarke and Lexa moved into their daughter's room. The closet was a mess, and they couldn't see their daughter anywhere.

"Madi?" Lexa asked. She stepped back out into the hallway and checked the bathroom. "Madi? -- Clarke, is she hiding under her bed?"

"No," Clarke responded, and her voice shaky with fear. "She's not here, Lexa!"

***

Madi whistled as she walked along the pathway, dragging her suitcase filled with her most prize possessions behind her. 

Madi was so angry with her mother’s that she ended up crying. She couldn’t understand her own emotions, and the tears came pouring out out of reflex. She sniffed and poofed herself and her luggage to another part of the city. She didn’t care that it was dark and she was so obviously lost, she was just glad to be out of that house with all those  _ rules. _

A low grumble from the nearby bush startled her from her thoughts. They shifted with a creature’s shadow. Madi swallowed thickly, looking around for an adult that could save her. The grumble turned into a growl, and Madi fell backwards in fright, toppling over her luggage. 

The growl grew louder as the figure emerged from the bushes - white fangs and massive amounts of fur and yellow eyes. The giant wolf stalked towards the fallen girl, her blue eyes wide as she struggled to move her long brown hair out of her face to see it more clearly. 

"Oh, a puppy!" Madi exclaimed. 

The wolf paused in it's step, head cocked to the side at her exuberance. 

_ “You're not afraid of me?” _

"You can talk?" Madi asked. "Hi, puppy!" Madi waved. "You're so fluffy!"

The wolf took a step back, sitting on its hind legs and looking at the girl. 

_ “You can hear me?” _

"Yup. What's your name? I'm Madi." Madi asked.

_ “Lincoln.“ _

"Nice to meet you, Lincoln. That's a strange name for a dog."

A loud screech sounded and a bat flew down towards Madi. The wolf barked and growled, and the bat flapped its wings, settling on the wolf's back instead.

"You have a  _ bat?"  _ Madi asked with excitement.

_ “She can hear you?”  _ The bat asked Lincoln.

Madi gasped. "You have a  _ talking  _ bat?" 

The wolf sat back on his heels again and shook his fur until the bat flew off, landing on the earth beside him.

_ “Octavia, this is Madi. She can hear us.” _

The bat extended its wings and flew into the air, fluttering around Madi's head. “ _ She's small. How old are you?” _

"I'm six-and-three-months."

Madi could swear she saw a hint of a smile on the bat;s face.  _ “And what is a six-and-three-month year old doing out here so late?  _ The bat asked.  _ Where are your parents?” _

Madi shrugged. "I ran away."

_ “Why?” _

"My mommies are mean."

The bat flapped its wings wildly, taking itself to sit on top of Lincoln's head.

_ “Really?”  _ He asked, his big snout directed towards the bat.

_ “I'm comfy,” Octavia  _ replied. She turned to Madi and asked, “ _ Why are your mommies mean, little one?” _

"My mommy doesn't like that I'm a witch and I have powers and I should be able to use them whenever I want, and my mama is a witch and she gets to use hers all the time but she won't let me and it's not fair because the only reason I even used my powers is because Finn Jr. said that I'm weird for having two mommies. He said that his daddy was going to take my mommy from my mama because they used to hold hands when they were in school, and I don't want my mommy to not love my mama anymore, and I don't want to be weird because I have two mommies!" Madi sniffed and her luggage opened, violently throwing out her stuffed griffon and stuffed raccoon. 

_ “Do you think I'm weird because I'm a wolf?”  _ Lincoln asked.  _ “And for having wolf parents?” _

Madi shook her head, wiping her nose with her sleeve. Another toy flew from her suitcase and landed in front of Lincoln _ .  _ “No, ‘cause everyone has different mommies and daddies, and some of them are witches and some are elves and some are humans like my other mommy so it doesn't matter what your mommies and daddies are and who they hold hands with.”

_ “I think you were very brave to try and protect your mommies,  _ Octavia said. “ _ Did you tell them what happened?” _

Madi shook her head again. "It would make them sad, and I hate when they’re sad."

_ “Don't you think they're going to be sad when they realize you're not home?” _

Madi opened her mouth to retort, but snapped it shut as she realized the truth behind Octavia’s words. "Do you think they'll be mad?"

The bat flew up into the air and landed in Madi's shoulder. She wrapped one of her wings around Madi’s neck. “ _ I doubt it. I have a strong feeling they'll just be happy you're home. And then you can talk about what happened today.” _

"I don't know how to get home," Madi said, her chin quivering as she became more upset. "I can't control my magic and I acci - acci - accidenenenally came here."

_ “Hop on,” _ Lincoln said, bowing down so that Madi could crawl on his back. “ _ Just don't grab the fur too hard.” _

Madi did just as asked, and got on his back. "Wait!" She cried. "What about my suitcase?"

Octavia flew off her shoulder and landed on the handle of the bag.” _ I'll take it.” _ She flew forward, hardly making the case budge. Try as she might, the little bat couldn't get the luggage to move. Lincoln nudged it with his nose to get the wheels started, and the bat flapped feverishly to keep the momentum.

"Okay, let's go home to my mommies," Madi said.

***

"Madi!" Clarke yelled, racing down the steps to meet her. "Madi, Madi!" She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around her six year old daughter. "Don't you ever do that again!" Clarke sobbed into her daughter's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Mommy."

"Madi!" Lexa yelled, running out of the house. Raven and Anya were close behind as well. Lexa crashed into her wife and daughter, her arms coming around them both in a tight hug.

"I'm sorry Mama, I didn't mean to run away, I just got so mad and then I ended up somewhere else."

Clarke and Lexa pressed kisses to her face and brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Are you alright?" Lexa asked. "We were so worried."

"How did you get home?" Clarke added.

A bark from a few feet away caught their attention, and both Clarke and Lexa turned to see the wolf sitting on his hind legs, his tail wagging behind him, and the tiny bat fluttering around his head.

"Lincoln?" Lexa asked. 

The wolf barked again and his tail wag picked up speed.

"O?" Clarke added.

The wolf howled and the bat screeched, and with a puff of smoke, Lexa's cousin, the tall, dark, and handsome Lincoln Birch, and Clarke's longtime friend, Octavia, stood before them.

“You’re  _ people _ ?” Madi asked, completely dumbfounded.

"You're back from Romania?" Lexa asked, standing slowly, Madi still wrapped around her neck and her hip. Clarke had her arm across Madi's and Lexa's back.

"Looks like," Octavia said, stepping towards them and kissing their cheeks. She booped Madi's nose, making the six year old giggle. “I’m a vampire, and Lincoln is a werewolf. We’re also your aunt and uncle.”

Madi smiled brightly up at Octavia and Lincoln.

“She's got your hair,” Lincoln nodded to his cousin.

“And your eyes,” Octavia said to her best friend. "But, on our trip back, someone told us she wants to talk to you about what happened today."

Madi tucked her neck back into her Mama's neck and mumbled, "Finn waff beduff nadhuff a mass."

"Can you look at us, baby?" Clarke cooed. "We're not mad at you, but we can’t understand what you’re saying with your face in mama’s neck."

"Finn Jr. Said I was weird for having two mommies. And he said that you weren't gonna love Mama anymore because his daddy was gonna take you back."

"First of all," Clarke said, cheeks turning a deep red from her anger. Lexa's hand stroked her back to calm her. She breathed out a sigh. "Madi, I love you and your mama more than you could ever imagine. Nothing will ever change that. Nothing. No matter what Finn Jr. said. It's you, me, and mama forever, okay?"

Lexa nodded, then added, "And even if he scared or upset you, you shouldn't be using your magic to hurt people. It's not nice and you know that. And you need to tell us if someone's bothering you, okay?"

Madi nodded, thoroughly scolded by her parents, but snuggled into her parents hug, happy that they loved her anyway. "I'm not weird?"

“No, baby, we love you,” Clarke said.

"No, you're definitely not weird," Lexa added. "You're special."


	7. BYOB - Bring Your Own Boos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke gets way too into her Halloween costume. Literally.

"How do I look?" Clarke asked, twirling about the living room. She was dressed in her Halloween costume, showing off her talent for makeup.

"Are you serious?" Lexa asked, mouth agape.

Clarke laughed, her hat falling down over her eyes. "Come on, don't be so offended."

"I mean, it's just…" Lexa trailed off, chewing on her lip. 

Madi bounded down the stairs, yelling a, "whoa, mom that's so witch-ist!"

"Witch-ist?" Clarke asked. 

Madi floated an apple from the fruit tray to meet her when she plopped down on the couch next to Lexa. 

"Feet," Lexa admonished her eight year old. 

Madi huffed and chomped down on the apple, a few pieces falling out of her mouth as she said, "yeah, it's prejudice against witches."

Lexa clicked her tongue at her daughter, scooping up the pieces of apple that had fallen from her mouth and wrapped them in a tissue. "No talking with food in your mouth, Mads."

"It's a joke!” Clarke said. "You guys don't even look like this. No wonder humans haven't ever been able to find you." Her face was painted green with warts on an exaggerated nose. Her head was covered by a pointy hat and she wore a long black gown. "Really, why would you ever want to look like this if you could change it with magic? Besides, it’s a rocking costume if I do say so myself.” She twirled again, and Lexa had to fight down her smile at her wife. She really, truly loved her, even if she was being highly insensitive right now.

“It’s kind of like saying that all humans are stupid and slow,” Lexa commented instead. “Like shoving our faces with the garbage some of you call food, and talking about how we’re the superior race and whatnot.”

Clarke twisted her mouth to the side in thought. “Okay, but I don't think like that,”

“Obviously, or we wouldn’t be together,” Lexa quipped.

“I just mean -- it’d be so much easier to be a witch. I mean, Madi can talk to animals, you are a superstar athlete. You’re like the spoiled brats of society.”

Lexa scoffed. Madi rolled her eyes. “I am  _ so _ not a spoiled brat,” Madi chimed, more apple crumbs falling from her lips. Lexa glared at her child until Madi picked up her trash from the couch. She tried to wiggle her nose to send it to the trashcan, but Lexa snapped her fingers before she could, putting a safety lock on her nose.

"Come on!" she whined.

"You have legs," Lexa retorted. "Use them."

With a huff, Madi got up and dumped her trash into the trashcan in the kitchen. Lexa joined her, stirring the pot she had started for dinner.

Clarke continued her rant, “You kinda are. Whenever you want something you just have to poof it into existence. Lexa snaps her fingers or you wiggle your nose and there it is, whatever your heart desires.”

“What would you do if you had magical powers, babe?” Lexa asked over her shoulder. “Since you clearly have had such a horrible hand dealt to you.”

Clarke shrugged. “I’ve never really thought of it because it’s completely impossible. It’d be like a vacation, though. I'd probably make everything silent so I could just relax. Man, you guys have it so easy.”

Lexa smirked, and then winked at Madi. "Alright babe," she said, turning to her wife. "Deal." She snapped her fingers, and the costume on Clarke’s frame shrunk down to fit her snugly, and the green paint disappeared from her face.

“What the --”

“Let’s see what you got,” Lexa teased, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’ve just handed over my powers. You, Clarke Griffin, are now a witch for twenty-four hours.”

“You mean to tell me that you’ve had the ability to turn me into a witch for our entire lives and never bothered to do so? Rude!”

Lexa laughed. “It’s not quite how it works. You have to have a deep emotional and physical bond with someone.”

“Like a soulmate?” Madi asked.

“Yeah, like a soulmate. Seeing that you’re my wife and also have bore my child, our connection is more than strong enough to allow me to pass my powers onto you for a short period of time.”

“So I’m legit a witch?”

“And I’m human,” Lexa replied.

“Cool! Can I be a werewolf?” Madi asked.

“No!” both parents barked at the same time.

“How does it feel to be powerless?” Clarke asked. “You do realize I’m not going to help you with any of the housework so you can get a sense of how tough it really is to grow up and have to fold your own laundry.”

“I look forward to it,” Lexa said with a small laugh.

“Wow,” Clarke said, marvelling at her hands. “How do I like, make it go?” She tried snapping her fingers and blinking excessively, but nothing happened.

Lexa chuckled. “Stop forcing it. Just let it come to you.”

“Got it, Chief,” she said, pointing her finger guns are Lexa that she typically did when she was trying to be sarcastic. With a flash of light and a poof of smoke, Lexa’s head donned a Native tribal headpiece.

Clarke’s eyes widened and she looked at her hands. “Oh, come on!” she bemoaned. “I can’t believe my trigger is finger-guns!”

***

Lexa bit into the dinner she had prepared, noting the meatballs ended up a little spicier than she had originally anticipated. She stood to refill her glass of water, but Clarke held a hand up to stop her. 

“Don’t worry babe, I got this.” She finger gunned at Lexa and said, “water.”

Lexa sighed.

A sudden downpour of water fell atop Lexa's head, soaking her clothes right through.

A few seconds later, an empty glass appeared in the air, only to crash onto the kitchen floor.

***

“Jesus… Christ… How do I… Stop this… from… happeniiiiiiiing?” Clarke asked as she bounced up and down in the air, trying to get control of her levitation. She pointed her finger at Lexa, who sighed as she floated, and tried her best not to throw up at the sudden rollercoaster that her wife forced upon her in their living room.

***

Halfway through the pile of laundry, Lexa pouted at her smiling wife. “I got this, babe,” Clarke said. She finger-gunned at the last of the clothes and said, “fold,” but the already folded clothes exploded from their spot on the bed, littering the room in the family’s underwear.

***

“How’s it going?” Lexa asked, poking her head around the corner to Clarke’s art studio.

Clarke huffed and pouted at her wife. In front of her was a series of canvases covered in sad clowns and dreary landscapes.

“Moody,” Lexa said. 

“I don’t seem to know how to control any colour other than the black. This was easier when I was human."

***

Clarke was determined to master her magic, knowing that she would never hear the end of it if she came out of this day not being able to cast one proper spell. 

Lexa drove them to the store to get groceries for the week. She perused the aisles while Clarke thought and thought and thought about what she could do to get it under control. 

She thought over the words and the basic spells that Madi taught her when Lexa wasn't working, finger gunning without casting the spell aloud so she could practice her posture.

“Hey Clarke, isn’t that Harper?”

“Who?” Clarke asked, finger inadvertently pointing at her wife.

Suddenly, there was a poof of smoke and a bright flash of light, and hovering in front of her was an owl with the greenest eyes she had ever seen.

“Lexa?” Clarke gasped.

“Hoot, hoot, hoot,” the bird replied, fluttering its wings furiously. "Hoot, hoot, hoot!" The owl called. Clarke slowly backed away as the owl squawked and screeched and flew after her. 

***

The next morning, Clarke awoke to a platter of eggs, bacon and pancakes, and a single lily in a vase.

Lexa leaned against the doorjamb, smiling at her wife as she handed over a cup of coffee. “Come downstairs whenever you’re ready.”

Bashful and cowed, Clarke took a sip of her coffee and nodded at her wife.

After she finished her breakfast, she brought the plates downstairs and marvelled at the sparkling clean home. “Looks like someone got their powers back,” Clarke teased her wife.

“Nah, you still have a few more hours,” Lexa replied, hands busy scrubbing the pans used for breakfast.

“Really?” Clarke asked. She finger gunned in the direction of the milk container, and made the entire jug explode, coating the ceiling in dairy. She sighed. “Wheres Madi?” 

Lexa laughed and pulled out a rag from the cupboard, already moving towards the mess when she said, “At Jordan’s. It really was Harper we saw yesterday.”

“So, you’re telling me you cleaned our entire place and made me breakfast without the use of your powers?” 

“Clarke,” Lexa sighed. “I always do. I don’t want Madi to grow up thinking that her powers are the answer to everything. Everything I do at home I do as an equal to you. I only use my powers to spoil you if I can… or to fix something I broke on occasion.”

Clarke’s cheeks dusted pink at her wife’s words. “You really are something, Mrs. Griffin-Woods.”

“I’m yours, Mrs. Griffin-Woods.”

“I’m sorry for saying you were spoiled. This magic stuff is harder than I thought. I love you.”

Clarke leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her wife’s lips, and with a gentle poof of smoke and a warm flash of pink light, Clarke's magic worked properly for the first time ever, levitating her and Lexa off the ground together, high off their love.


	8. Fall Festivities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fall brings the beginning of school for Madi

Back to school was the favourite time of year for most. Parents were overjoyed that their children would be supervised while they were working; children were overjoyed the see their friends again; teachers were overjoyed to… well, they were overjoyed for the weekends.

Madi, on the other hand, hated back to school. Being a half witch meant she had half the human antibodies, and half the witch antibodies, therefore, she was in for a whole dose of unrelenting colds during the first two months. She would get sick at least twice in that short amount of time, causing her to miss a lot of school and a lot of the time that children spent making and solidifying their friendships.

But, she  _ couldn't  _ go to school. Not when her nose was stuffy and running and she was sniffling and sneezing and turning her mother into an elephant, blowing her Aunt Raven up like fireworks, and sending her mama into the desert and back again in a wiggle of her nose.

But Ms. Indra insisted that she be present for the first field trip of the year. The kids were going to the apple farm, after all, and Lexa had volunteered as the class chaperone.

In hindsight, Madi should have known that her class would have been more interested in Lexa and her superstar status than the actual field trip. Even as the ten year old curled up in her mama’s shoulder, she was still having to deal with boys and girls interrupting to get a picture with her mama or ask for her autograph.

Madi sucked down the hot tea that her mama had packed in her travel mug, a blend of echinacea and magical herbs to fight off both sides of the cold virus. It relieved the aches and pains, and most importantly, stopped the sniffles for the time being.

The class wandered through the apple farm for a majority of the day, getting lost in corn mazes, learning how to bale hay for the animals, petting tiny lambs in the petting zoo, and drinking warm cups of apple cider and eating apple pie. 

Madi had made it throughout most of the day without mishap aside from sneezing and blowing her mom across the corn field. Lexa snapped her fingers and fixed the holes that were created before anyone had noticed, though.

The last part of the trip was the horse rides around the farm. Each child in the class took a turn on one of the ten horses for a tour of the entire farm.

Madi brushed her hand along the nose of a chocolate pony. “Hey. Your name is Ryder. It’s cute.”

The horse stomped it's foot in the mud and shook it's head up and down. “I think my handler was a punny guy.”

Madi chuckled. “That’s actually funny.”

The horse took a step back. “No way you can understand me.”

Madi smiled up at the big nose, lifting her hands in deference like her mama had taught her to approach animals. “Duh. You speak English. You just have a weird accent.”

The horse neighed, catching Lexa’s attention. and she took a quick picture of her daughter smiling up at the giant and sent it off to her wife. 

Ryder bowed his head and said, “Well I’ll be, aren't you just a smart lil cookie. Hey Cleatus! Lookie o’er here! We got us our own Dr. Doohickey!”

“Dr. Doolittle,” Madi corrected, and Ryder huffed at her.

A black stallion galloped over towards them and sniffed Madi’s neck. “She smells like apples. I love apples!”

She giggled at the contact, and pulled an apple out of her pocket, holding it out for Cleatus.

“You can hear us?” Cleatus asked.

Madi nodded and giggled more when he stepped right into her space, his giant eyeball looking into hers.

A white mare saddled up to Madi shortly after, nudging her bum with her nose.

“Ponyelope,” Ryder scolded. “She’s a good one.”

They were interrupted by the sounds of her classmate yelling. “Look at this weirdo!” Josephine Lightborne pointed at Madi, who was surrounded by horses. “She can’t make real friends so she hangs out with animals!”

Madi’s classmates pointed and laughed, and Lexa had to squeeze her hands together to stop them from snapping and giving all the ten year olds wedgies. But, if Josephine ended up stepping in a suddenly appearing cow-pie, Lexa was none the wiser.

“Don’t mind them, darlin’” Ryder consoled. “Let’s just go on a good ol’ fashioned ride. That’ll cheer ya’up, I promise,” he neighed.

Madi sighed, but smiled when Ryder rubbed his nose against her cheek. Ryder took off at a slow cadence once Madi climbed aboard, describing all the parts of the farm to her. He wandered as far away from the rest of the group as he could without drawing suspicion to point out the magical flowers in the fields and the magical animals that could only be seen by those with abilities.

The path wound around and through the pumpkin fields, and Madi tensed. "I'm allergic to pumpkins!" She hissed to the horse.

Ryder slowed his trot, but the cowboy handler that was leading the group circled around and forced him to carry on.

Her nose tickled, and she looked over to Lexa with fear in her eyes. She clutched at Ryder’s fur, and her heels dug into his sides.

"I'm trying, I'm trying," Ryder said, trying to console his rider. He tried to move faster, but his handler wasn't letting him, tired of his antics. 

Madi sneezed and all hell broke loose.

She had turned the pumpkin patch into a giant, living creatures that scared Josephine's horse into bucking with her still on. She fell off the back of the horse and straight into the mud with a scream. 

The rest of the horses followed suit, kicking and bucking their riders off so they could free themselves.

"Whoa, whoa!" The handlers tried, but the terrified animals wouldn't heed. The animals kicked and whined, and started to run off.

"What did I do?" Madi questioned, her voice shaky with sadness.

Ryder didn’t buck his rider off; however. He took off with Madi on his back, straight to the rest of the now free horses. All the horses had run about a hundred yards from the scare and we're circling the ground, huffing angrily.

"What was that?"

"I'll kill it!"

"I hate pumpkins!"

"Fight back!"

Madi jumped off the horse and approached the pack with her hands up. "Whoa, whoa," The horses were frazzled and frightened. "I know you're all scared. It's okay, it's my fault."

"Kill the girl!" One horse yelled, neighing and rearing back on its hind legs. Ryder moved in front of her. "Calm down, Otis, she's just a girl!"

"It was an accident!" Madi pleaded. "It was an accident. I can't control my powers."

"She scared us!"

"But we're fine!" Ryder said.

"Let's just all calm down," Madi said. "I'm sorry I scared you. I won't let it happen again."

The horses huffed and sneezed, but Madi wouldn’t move from the middle of the pack.

"Madi, no!" Her teacher called.

"Wait, wait," Lexa said, grabbing the teacher and stopping them from interfering. “They’re calming down.”

“Please, just come back to your owners. I promise, no more magic. No more pumpkins.”

Ponyelope looked around, her ears twitching with nerves.

“Please,” Madi breathed.

Ponyelope took one step, then two, then moved right past Madi and headed towards the handlers. The rest of the horses followed, and Ryder pressed his big head into Madi’s chest. She laughed and hugged his nose.

The class looked on as Madi corralled the horses and got them to follow her back to the handlers.

"How did you do that?" Aden asked when she got back.

Madi just shrugged.

"It's because - it's because she's a weirdo!" Josephine said, covered from head to toe in mud. "She doesn't have any friends so she talks to animals, and even they don't listen to her!"

A few of her classmates laughed at Madi, whose cheeks became warm with embarrassment. She ran back to the bus, and Lexa trailed after her.

"Hey, shut up!" Aden Forrest, they typically shy and well mannered boy, yelled. "She saved your life, Josephine! She saved all of us from getting really hurt!"

***

"Mads?" Lexa asked, slowly sitting next to her daughter on the large seat of the deserted bus.

The only sound was a sniffle, and then Lexa felt the soft flutter of snowflakes cascading onto her head.

"I hate this," Madi whispered. "I hate having magic! I hate being human! I hate that I'm just a weird half- _ thing!" _ The sound of her voice grew louder until she shouted at her mama. She turned and punched the seat in front of them as tears poured from her eyes.

"I'm sorry you feel that way Madi," Lexa said, dusting the snow off her shoulder and then wrapping her daughter in a warm hug.

Madi sniffed again as the tears fell and Lexa was pelted with sand and dirt.

Lexa snapped and created an umbrella to hover above her and her daughter to stop the onslaught. 

"You have so many special gifts, Madi, but the best one is that you're kind. Don't let someone like Josephine take that away from you. What you did today made me more proud than you learning your first spell. You're a great person, and kids are just dumb. It'll get better, I promise. If you want to be sad right now, or if you can't help it, that's okay. I'm right here. But, never hate who you are. You’re the best parts of me and the best parts of your mom. You’re an incredible kid, Madi."

Madi leaned into her mama and hugged her tightly around her neck. "I love you, mama."

"Love you too, Mads."

Aden was the first student to enter the bus since the incident, and his heavy, awkward footsteps sounded until he was standing directly in front of Madi and Lexa’s seat. "Hey, sorry, Hi, Mrs. Griffin-Woods. I'm sorry to interrupt, but uhh," Aden said, shuffling awkwardly from foot to foot. He had a piece of paper in his hand that he folded and unfolded methodically.

Madi hid her face in Lexa's collar, and it took everything inside of the brunette not to snap at the boy. "Yes, Aden?" She asked, already pulling her pen out of her pocket to sign his paper.

"Sorry, um, thank you for offering, but I don’t want your autograph.” He ran his hand through his shaggy blonde hair, “but can you give this to Madi for me? I just want her to know that she's the coolest person ever and say thank you for saving us." His earnest blue eyes pleaded with Lexa and he thrust the paper into her face. She gracefully retrieved it from his fingers and opened it only after he scurried away and off the bus.

Lexa’s heart melted at what she saw.

Aden had written a big 'thank you' on the cover of the card. Inside, all the students in the class signed the left side of the page. On the right side, he had drawn a picture of Madi with a cape and a horse. And on the back, he scrawled, 'Madi, thank you for saving us. You're a superhero. Can I sit with you at lunch tomorrow? - your friend, Aden'


	9. Haunted Houses

"This is gonna be the coolest Haunted House  _ ever!" _ Madi cheered.

Raven winked at her niece, then flipped down her welding mask and started grinding the metal pieces of… something.

No one knew exactly what Raven was doing.

Madi had asked her mom's if they could have a haunted house this Halloween, and of course, after much pleading from both Madi and Raven, her mothers gave in. 

However, there were restrictions.

  1. Madi couldn't use magic when she was in there to hurt anyone.
  2. All scary creatures had to be friends or family.
  3. No one was allowed to be under the influence of any substances before entering the house.
  4. Jasper wasn't allowed to flirt with any of the parents.
  5. Raven was _not_ allowed to use fireworks.

There was a lot of moaning and groaning once Clarke and Lexa had gone over the rules, but everyone agreed once Lexa had cast her most menacing look towards them (Jasper actually squeaked). Madi did, at least, convince Clarke to talk to Lexa about using magic to make the place that much scarier, and of course the green eyed witch was more than willing to bend the rules for her wife.

As nightfall approached, kids gathered in the backyard of the Griffin-Woods house to gaze at the haunted house that Madi's family had made. Smoke plumed from the grass, Octavia and her vampire friends fluttered around in their bat form, the lights in the house flickered on and off, Lincoln howled, and Jasper laughed menacingly over the PA system. 

"Wow, Madi, this is so cool!" Aden said.

"This is dumb," Josephine countered. "It's literally a playhouse with a PA system. How are we even going to fit everyone in there? It's like four feet tall."

Raven slapped her hand down on Josephine's shoulder, startling the twelve year old girl. "Ahhh, my pretty," she said with her best gollum accent. She was dressed to the nails as a witch/zombie combination. She had enlisted Clarke to just throw paint at her, which her best friend did so willingly. "Appearances may be deceiving," she quipped.

"Clearly. You look like a Halloween store barfed." 

Raven's eyes narrowed at the young girl, and she pushed Josephine into the house with a little more force than necessary. "Just get in the house." 

Surprised shouts and gasps were heard when the children entered the play place, as the house was as big as the Griffin-Woods home on the inside. 

"Whoa," Aden said, blue eyes wide as he looked around. "How did you do this?" He asked Madi.

She just smiled at her best friend and winked.

The lights flashed and flickered inside the house, ominous music playing as the children moved through each room. There were fluttering curtains and fake blood dripping from the walls. Ghosts popped out of the walls and the children screamed. Jasper played a headless bartender, offering the kids bubbling brews filled with fake blood. Lincoln growled and pretended to lunge at them as they passed. The house was filled with screams as they made their way through the haunted house.

Madi tried her best not to giggle at her classmates.

In the last room, her aunt Anya was dressed as the Grim Reaper with a chainsaw (upon Raven's insistence) to chase the children out of the house.

As her class entered, Madi winked at her aunt, who was completely unrecognizable in her costume. Raven decided to go off script at this moment. "Only those of you who have pure hearts may leave this place. The rest of you must burn," she said, hand coming to grip Josephine's shoulder harshly.

Josephine just rolled her eyes at the Latina.

Anya chased the children as they all ran to the door, her chainsaw revving loudly. 

Raven hit the remote that slammed the door shut just as Josephine got to the door, causing her to stumble backwards into Madi and Aden. Her head collided with Madi's nose, a loud crack sounded as she fell back onto her butt.

"Madi, are you okay?" Aden asked, dropping down beside his friend. "You're bleeding!"

Madi, delusional from the knock to her head, sniffed the blood back into her nose. She rubbed her nose with her sleeve, a sharp wave of pain coursing through her.

There was a loud crack of thunder inside the room, and a cold chill washed over the five inhabitants.

Blood seeped down the sides of the wall, wet and sticky, with an iron scent.

"Let me out!" Josephine cried. "Let me out!"

"Madi," Anya whispered, kneeling down to look at her niece. "Madi, stop."

"My nose," Madi cried. "My nose is broken!"

Anya's eyes widened, and she grabbed Raven's sleeve. "Open the door!" She hissed, pointing at Madi's broken nose.

"I can't," Raven cried as she smashed the button on the remote to no avail. "It's not opening!" 

"Is it hot in here?" Josephine asked, her forehead starting to sweat. "It's hot."

"Let me try," Aden said, moving to the door to tug uselessly on the handle.

Madi was forced to sniff and wipe her nose again as the blood continued to pour out. 

Suddenly, the smell of smoke filled the air, and Madi's eyes widened. Flickers of flames started catching on the bottoms of the curtains, growing as they licked at the material. 

"Only the pure of heart!" A loud, disembodied voice boomed through the room.

"Madi, your magic is broken along with your nose," Anya whispered to her niece. "I need to get your mom," 

"No, no, no, please don't leave us," Madi begged, eyes watering as she pulled on Anya's arm.

"I'll be right back, I swear. We need your mom."

Raven smashed the button on the remote again and again. The door swing open suddenly, knocking Aden on his butt, and Josephine ran out without a second glance. 

Anya pulled Raven, while shouting at her niece to get up.

Aden stood, shaking his head. He ran over to Madi and pulled to her feet, but she was woozy from her head injury and she fell back down, taking him with her. 

Anya turned and tried to run back inside for her niece, but the door slammed shut again, locking her out of the house. "No, no, no! Madi! Aden!" She screamed.

The room was engulfed in flames in moments. Aden and Madi coughed through the smoke as they tried to pull on the door handle to the room behind them. "Ah!" Madi screamed, her hand burning on the knob.

Madi could hear the howls of Lincoln as he scratched at the door, and the shrieks of the vampires trying to fly through the walls and failing.

"It's locked!" Aden said. He coughed violently and pulled Madi down to the floor.

The brunette looked at her best friend, his face stricken with panic as he coughed and wheezed beside her.

She had sealed herself into the room like a tomb.

With Aden.

They were going to die.

She tried to wiggle her nose, but the break was so severe that she couldn't feel it. She sniffed, and the fire grew even more. 

Aden reached for her hand, squeezing once before his eyes closed. "Aden!" Madi yelled, but the boy had passed out.

Madi coughed and coughed, her heart breaking and guilt manifesting as the realization that this was all her fault hit her.

"Ma-" she coughed. "Ma...ma," Madi whispered before falling unconscious.

***

Lexa watched as the children entered the haunted house.

From the outside, everything appeared normal, and then Anya and Raven came stumbling through the backdoor, followed by fire. 

It was perplexing, because everything seemed normal with the magical spell covering the house.

"Where's Madi and Aden?" Lexa asked, hurrying down the steps to help her sister and sister-in-law.

"Inside," Anya wheezed. "Her nose," she coughed. "Broken. Fire."

Lexa's eyes widened in fright. "What spell did she use?" Lexa asked her sister. 

Anya shook her head. "I don't know, I don't know."

Lexa ran to the play house and tried to rip open the door, but it wouldn't budge. She pounded on the door, but no one answered.

"Come on, Madi," Lexa said. "Come on,"

Suddenly, she felt like she was being pulled through her bellybutton, disappearing into a speck of nothingness, and appeared inside the haunted house, in the room full of flames. 

She coughed and covered her mouth with her t-shirt, dropping to the floor to find her daughter and Aden.

It felt like her skin was being burned off with the rising heat, her eyes watering from the smoke. She coughed and gagged, searching blindly. 

Her right hand finally connected with a limp hand, and Lexa held on with all her might. She reached her other hand out and around to try and find the other child, feeling a shoe to the far left of her.

Her head grew foggy with the lack of oxygen, her breathing became laboured. Her eyes spotted and she coughed, on the brink of consciousness. Lexa clung to the shoe and adjusted her right hand to give herself access to her fingers. 

She snapped her fingers, everything went black, and Lexa prayed that she could hold onto the two kids to get them out of the room.

It was a handful of horrifying seconds before Lexa, Aden and Madi's limp bodies regained consciousness, coughing and gasping in the fresh air in the grass of the Griffin-Woods backyard.

Lexa snapped her fingers, and the house shook, and the doors swung open violently to reveal no smoke or fire.

"You're okay," Clarke cooed, rubbing Aden's back as he coughed.

"Mama" Madi coughed. She crawled into Lexa's lap and hugged her tightly. 

"Careful," Lexa said, pushing her hair out of her face. She snapped her fingers and Madi's nose was instantly stuffed with gauze. "This is going to hurt," she warned, then snapped her fingers again to reset the bone, forcing Madi's eyes to water.

"Magical gauze. No magic mishaps until it's healed."

Madi hugged Lexa tightly. "Thank you," she whispered. 

"What the hell happened in there?!" Josephine yelled, storming over to Madi. "You nearly killed us!"

Aden was the first one to his feet, unsure steps gradually becoming steadier as he breathed in fresh air. "What are you talking about?" He asked Josephine.

"The voice, and the blood, and the smoke, and the fire! Hello!" Josephine yelled, pointing at the house. "Where did you even come from! You guys just appeared out of nowhere!"

Aden forced a laugh and ran his hands through his hair. "Wow, the haunted house really scared you, didn't it Josephine?" He teased. "We came through the front."

"There's nothing in there," Finn Jr. said, stepping into the playhouse to reveal plastic furniture and black wallpaper. "What are you talking about, Josie?"

"I know what I saw!" She yelled. "They weren't in the backyard two seconds ago!"

"No more candy for her, am I right guys?" Aden said with a smirk. The rest of the gathered children laughed, pointing at Josephine and teasing her.

"I - I - I'm not crazy! I know it!"

"You saw them leave from the front," Octavia said calmly, stepping towards the crowd of onlookers, including Josephine. 

A moment passed and Josephine repeated, "I saw them leave from the front," her eyes glazed over as she looked at Octavia.

The spell broke, and Josephine shook her head. Raven, at that moment, pressed the button on the remote to make the backdoor slam shut, and Josephine let out a terrified scream.

Everyone laughed and she stormed off. Shortly after, the rest of the crowd had dissipated until it was just Madi, Aden, and the magical gang.

"Thanks for staying to help clean," Madi said. "And standing up for me."

"No problem," Aden grinned at her. "You're my best friend. Besides, the haunted house was really cool," he added. 

"Yeah," Madi sighed. 

"Hey, umm, just so - just so you know, you're secret is, uhh, it's safe with me," Aden stumbled, earnest eyes looking at his best friend. He let his finger trace down the bridge of Madi's nose ever so gently. "I won't tell anyone you're a witch."


	10. SCREAM

For three years, Lexa had been rewinding Aden's memory.

"Why do we have to keep doing this?" Madi sighed as she looked at her best friends blank expression. She pushed his floppy blonde hair out of his eyes as he stared at the wall in front of him.

"I told you," Lexa says softly. "He can't know you're a witch."

"He keeps figuring it out, though," Madi counters. "Every single time we erase it, he figures it out a different way. Now, he's just losing more memories." Her blue eyes lingered on his face, his blonde mustache that he started growing. At fifteen, Aden still looked like a twelve year old, chubby cheeks and innocent eyes, and he was desperate to look older - hence the tiny patch of hair above his lip. "Soon enough, he's not even going to remember me."

"She's right," Clarke said. She sat next to Madi and slung her arm around her daughter's shoulder. "You never erased my memory."

"Trust me, my parents tried. Many times. You're just remarkably stubborn. I just - I need to keep you safe, Mads."

Clarke pulled Madi into her chest and sighed. "Just for now," she whispered to her daughter.

"Okay," Madi sighed. 

***

Aden rang the bell to the Griffin-Woods home, excited to start the movie marathon he and Madi watched every Friday night. 

Startlingly blue eyes stared up at him, a pretty smile on his best friend's lips. Aden blinked, his hands suddenly getting sweaty at the sight of her. 

"Hey, loser," Madi teased. "You coming in or what?" She asked.

Aden laughed, shouldering past her to get into the house. "Last one to the couch smells like feet!" He called, then raced to the couch in her living room. He leapt over the back and crashed onto the cushions. "Beat ya!" He called out before Madi had even turned from the door.

Madi rolled her eyes and settled onto the floor in front of him.

"I'm just kidding. Come sit up by me." He moved his legs and tugged on Madi's sweater until she relented and moved to the couch with him. "So what do you wanna watch?"

The brunette shrugged.

"Slasher? Freddie? Jason? Killer Clowns? Scream?" He asked. 

Madi laughed. "What is it with you and scary movies lately?" 

Aden shrugged. "I find them funny." He looked at his best friend through the corner of his eyes. "The supernatural doesn't scare me."

"Jason isn't supernatural. He's just a crazy dude."

Aden cleared his throat. "Yeah, we can watch something else. What about a witch movie?"

Madi's cheeks flushed. "Why a witch movie?"

Aden lifted one shoulder and let it drop when he said, "I think they're cool. They're just normal people with like… extra powers."

"They're not normal at all," Madi disagreed. "It's weird, having powers. You're not like everyone else."

"Yeah, you're special. You get to see the world through a totally different lens. Being a human kinda sucks. We're squishy and whiney and usually prone to doing dumb things." Aden pointed to the DVD case in his hand. "Like, always run towards the sound of murder."

"Witches are squishy and they can do a lot of harm to people."

"Or they can save people. Hello, Harry Potter."

"Voldemort."

Aden leaped across the couch to cover Madi's mouth with his hands. "Don't say his name," he hissed. His heart beat unsteadily in his chest.

Madi giggled underneath him, and for the briefest of moments, she thought about what his lips would taste like and if the hair above his lip would tickle. The thought startled her, knocking her stomach into her shoes, and she licked his palm. Aden's nose scrunched up and he pulled away immediately at the wet feel of her tongue, wiping his hand on his pants.

Her cheeks turned bright red, and she tucked her legs underneath herself in the corner of the couch trying to distance herself from the feeling. "Just pick whatever movie you want."

"What about Bewitched?" Aden chewed his lip as he cast a nervous glance at his best friend.

Madi blew a raspberry. "That's like ancient."

"Yeah, but she wiggles her nose," he commented with forced nonchalance. "Seems kinda relevant."

Everything suddenly went eerily silent. Madi swallowed down the knot in her throat and avoided her friend's eye.

"I know you know that I know," Aden said. His brow scrunched and he shook his head. "I mean - I know you're a witch. And I know your Mama's a witch."

Madi hissed, "Aden, stop -," her eyes widened as she looked around, looking to see if her parents were listening. Surely, they'd rewind his mind of tonight and Madi wasn't ready for that again.

"No wait, listen Mads." Aden turned to face his friend fully. "I know. And I know you're going to delete my memory again or whatever it is that you guys do, and that's cool, but just know that I know and I'll always know and I'll always keep it a secret. Clearly, it needs to be since you keep wiping my memory."

"How did you…"

Aden shrugged. "It makes sense. There's pictures of things that we've done together, places we've gone, but when I try to remember them, I can't even recall one single memory of the day. You always have to tell me what happened, and you haven't ever told the same story twice." 

"Your amnesia isn't -,"

"And how you always take the entire week off if you're sick. And how you always make me jump because I'll be sure you aren't around and then you just poof right into existence next to me."

"Yes, but -,"

"And how your Aunt Octavia is never in any pictures I've ever seen. I've even tried to take a selfie with her and she nearly broke my hand. She's a vampire, isn't she? And how defensive you are over what witches actually look like. You even coined witch-ist."

"I didn't coin anything."

"Okay, well, what about that one time I was playing soccer and you were the only person in the stands and I kicked the ball from half-field and it literally spun around all the defenders to end up in the net."

"Physics?" Madi said awkwardly.

"Madi," Aden sighed. "You're going to wipe my memory anyway, you might as well not lie."

Madi sighed and ran her hands down her face. "Fine," she murmured. She looked up into earnest blue eyes and said, "yeah, I'm a witch. My mama, too, and her sister. But aunty Raven and my mom aren't."

"And your aunt Octavia?"

"Vampire."

"Uncle Lincoln?"

"Werewolf."

"Those are real?!" Aden shrieked. Madi cast a wary look at him and Aden cleared his throat. "Those are real?" He hissed.

The brunette nodded, and started playing with the ends of her braids. 

"Okay, wow," Aden said. He ran his hand through his hair and asked, "so can you fly? Do you need a broomstick?"

Madi laughed. "Nope." She wiggled her nose and levitated off the couch a few inches. Aden's eyes widened comically.

"Cool! Do you make potions? Do you have any warts? Can you teleport? Is there a killing spell? Do you need a wand? How come you have to wiggle your nose? Do you wear gowns? Did you have to go to witch school?" He started asked the questions so quickly that Madi couldn't keep up with them to answer.

"Whoa, Aden, holy, wait!" She cried. She laughed at his excitement. "First of all, this isn't Harry Potter. Secondly, I'm a half-witch, so I have my own set of special powers. Each of us are different. My mom's got super athletic/physical stuff and I -,"

"Can talk to animals," Aden supplied.

"You - you know that?"

Aden smirked. "I saw you in the park last week. A wolf came up to you and you followed it. A wolf, Madi. You followed a wolf. Anyway, I followed you."

"Oh," Madi said, a strong swooping feeling in her stomach made her skin hot. "Why would you follow me if there was a wolf?"

"You were talking to it. And then when you found the litter, you talked to them, too. The pups came right up to you. You talked to them like they could understand you, and I just pieced it together."

"You followed me because you thought I was a witch?"

Aden swallows loudly. "Uh, yeah."

"Oh," Madi said, her brow furrowing at the fact that her stomach had dropped unpleasantly. "Right, yeah, well, I can talk to animals."

"That's cool."

"How come you're not more freaked out by this?" Madi asked, diverting the attention away from her disappointment.

Aden shrugged. "You're my best friend. You're important to me, and I just… I want you to know I'm not gonna hurt you. So when you wipe my memory this time you can at least know that you're safe with me."

Madi leaned over and hugged her best friend tightly. "Thanks, Aden."

"Anytime, Mads."

***

"You can't rewind his memory this time," Clarke hissed at her wife. 

They were doing what any good set of parents would do - they were eavesdropping. 

It's not that they meant to, but Aden's voice was changing, and it cracked when he was excited. He spoke with such excitement that both Clarke and Lexa thought it would be safer to know than not know.

"I need to protect Madi," Lexa said sadly. "I don't enjoy doing this. I adore Aden."

"I know you don't, but it doesn't seem to matter anyway. He keeps figuring it out. We've rewound his memory almost thirty times already. Nothing even happened this week and he figured it out. What are you going to do, kill him?"

Lexa opened her mouth only to snap it shut seconds later. She couldn't kill the boy. "What if we move?"

"I will literally kick your ass, Lexa. You're not doing that to Madi. You'd have to rewind to her toddler years and I am  _ not _ going through the fire burping phase again!"

Lexa slumped into the counter. Clarke stepped into her space, cupping her chin and directing green eyes to meet hers. "Aden's a good kid. He's Madi's  _ best friend _ . Maybe we should just trust that the universe wants him to know." She pressed a soft kiss to the pouty bottom lip of her wife.

Lexa wrapped her arms around Clarke's waist. "When did you get so wise, Mrs. Griffin-Woods?"

"When I married my best friend." She kissed Lexa's smirking lips and then pulled away. "Let's go talk to them."

***

Madi was in the process of returning Aden to his human form after she had turned him into a desk lamp.

"Whoa," he gasped as his butt landed on the side table. "That was  _ so cool _ !"

Lexa cleared her throat from the entrance to the living room, and both teenagers froze.

"Looks like you're having fun," she commented. Aden jumped off the table and sat on the couch in a poor attempt to feign innocence.

"Mama wait, I can explain."

Lexa held up her hand to her daughter. "Nope."

Madi looked at Clarke, who just shook her head at her daughter. Lexa took a seat on the arm of the couch next to Madi and Clarke sat beside Aden, her hand running soothingly along his back. "We want to talk to you both," Clarke said.

Aden sighed, his shoulders hunched forward. After a long moment, he said, "Alright, I'm ready." He sat up straight and looked at Madi. "Thanks for being honest with me."

"We're not removing your memories," Lexa said.

Aden gasped at them. "You're - you're not?"

"No, we're actually going to give them back to you, if you want. I'm sorry I took them from you, but I needed to protect my daughter."

Aden shrugged. "That's cool, I get it." He looked at Madi. "I'd protect her, too."

Lexa shared a knowing look with her wife, then turned back to the boy. "Do you want your memories back?"

"You can do that?"

"Yes. It will disrupt the timeline, but it won't make too much of an impact because you continuously figure it out. At least, well, I hope."

"You hope?" Clarke hissed.

"I mean, well, it's not like I ever had to do this before!" Lexa said.

Clarke groaned and ran her hand down her face. "Fucking magical children I have.

" _ Anyway,"  _ Lexa cast a look at her wife before turning back to Aden. "I can, but it's pretty painful. Like, extremely painful, so you need to be  _ sure  _ you want --,"

Aden cut her off, "Yes, I want them. I want to remember."

Lexa nodded and switched seats with Clarke. Clarke took hold of her daughter's sweaty hand, stifling her chuckles. "He'll be okay."

Lexa placed her hands on either side of Aden's head and breathed in deeply, closing her eyes. He followed suit, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. 

She whispered an incantation that wasn't English then released Aden's head.

Nothing happened. Aden opened one eye, and then the other, and then pouted at the ordinary room.

"I don't think anythi -- agghhhhhhhhhh!" He screamed, clutching his head between his hands as the waves of memories were dumped into his subconscious. 

He fell over, his body crumpling to the floor in pain. His head felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. He saw glimpses of fire and ice and blinding, painful lights.

Images flashed before his eyes of all the adventures he and Madi and been on since they became friends on the apple farm. Moments of terror and fun and pre-teen awkwardness, and images of Madi's face and her wiggling nose illuminated his mind.

His body seized and convulsed with the rewiring of his brain, and after a long, long moment, his body went still. 

Madi was beside him instantly. "Aden? Aden?" She asked as she shook him. 

Aden gasped and bolted upright, clutching his head as the visions swam before him. Madi stumbled back, her eyes warily watching her best friend, waiting for him to say something.

"Madi," Aden gasped, eyes landing on his best friend.

"Hi," she said quietly.

His face broke into a large, beaming grin. "Hey, hi, hello," he laughed at himself. "Holy shit, hi!"

"Do you remember anything?" Madi asked, still wary.

"I remember  _ everything _ ," he cheered, then lunged at her to give a tight hug. 


	11. Monster Mash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madi and Aden go to the dance..... With other people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The viewpoints alternate near the end so I prefaced it with -- and kept Clarke and Lexa's speech in italics.
> 
> Hopefully it's not too confusing.

Clarke yelped at the sound of the front door slamming shut. Living in a magical house was sometimes overwhelming because ghosts and vampires and magical beings didn't care too much for treading lightly.

On more than one occasion, Clarke had to tell off a guest for waking baby Madi from her nap.

But this door slam she knew. And if she wasn't sure, the pounding footsteps up the stairs gave way to the fact that it was a slammed door of her teenage daughter coming home from school.

"Madi, door!"

"Sorry, mom!" She yelled down from her room.

Clarke rolled her eyes and chuckled at her kid. "Always so dramatic. She takes after her mama, I swear," she mumbled.

"Totally," a disembodied voice sounded from the oven. Clarke nearly shrieked.

"Jasper! Get out of the fucking oven!" She yelled.

"Yeah, Jasper," another voice said.

"You, too, Monty."

Jasper and Monty whined, but reluctantly appeared beside Clarke.

"What are you two idiots doing in my oven?"

"Duh," Jasper answered. "We're getting baked."

Clarke gaped at her idiotic friends. "Just, get out of my house."

"Come on! Clarke!" Monty whined.

"Out!" She pointed to the front door.

With a pout and an adorable scuffing of shoes on the tiles, Jasper and Monty disappeared from the kitchen.

"Children. All of them," Clarke huffed.

***

Clarke knocked on the doorframe of her daughter's room, trying to get the attention of the girl scribbling in her notebook while her clothes pulled themselves out of her closet for her to see. "What are you doing, honey?" She asked. “You came in in a bit of a tizzy.”

Madi sighed. "Aden and I are going to the Monster Mash dance."

"Oh that's great! It's about time," Clarke cheered.

Madi gave her mom a quizzical look and asked, "about time for what?"

"For you and…" Clarke paused and noted her daughter's depressed demeanor. "Who asked who?"

"Finn Jr. asked me."

Clarke tried not to gag. He was a Playboy like his father, unconcerned with anyone or anything but himself.

"Finn… junior?" Clarke stumbled over.

"Yeah," Madi sighed. "Aden asked Josie."

"Josephine Lightbourne?!"

Madi was surprised at the pitch of her mom's voice. “Yeah? She’s been really nice to him this year. I think she likes him.”

Clarke held the groan inside her chest. “You really are your mother’s daughter,” she laughed instead. “So, do you need help finding a dress?”

***

“I feel ridiculous,” Madi complained.

“You look beautiful, Mads,” Lexa said to her daughter. 

“Oh, I know, but I  _ feel  _ ridiculous.”

Lexa let out a hard laugh at her daughter’s antics. “You’re totally your mother’s child. Confidence for days.”

Madi let her hands run along her black dress, her eyes dropping to the material. “Do you think Finn will like it?”

“Do you want him to?”

Madi shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t really care. I don’t even really want to go.”

Lexa sat at the edge of Madi’s bed and cuddled with her pillow. "Then why are you going?" She replayed the memory of her now-wife doing the same thing in highschool when Lexa asked Costia. She breathed a laugh through her nose at her kid following in her parents' footsteps. She just hoped that Finn Jr. wasn't as slimy as Finn Sr.

Madi shrugged again. "Aden said he asked Josie, and then Finn asked me, so…" she let her hands run along the line of her dress. "I mean, at least it's someone."

"Well, you can do whatever you want. There's no obligation to do  _ anything  _ Finn wants to do. You can leave whenever and dance with whoever, okay? Have  _ fun _ . That's the point of the dance."

***

Turns out, Finn Jr. was just as slimy as his dad.

"Come on, Madi," he slurred, running his hand along Madi's cheek. "I'm your date. Just a small kiss, right here," he said, puckering his lips and tapping on them with his index finger. He hiccupped as he waited.

Madi scoffed and turned away from her date. Finn had gotten sloppily drunk within the first hour of the dance. "No, thanks."

Finn scowled at her. "I think you're forgetting that you're my  _ date. _ " He grabbed her arm and pulled her against his chest his breath stinking of alcohol.

"Get your hands off me," Madi hissed, her eyes burning holes into Finn's. 

"Problem?" Finn was suddenly being pulled back by his shoulder by a pale hand. 

He turned and flipped his shaggy hair at the much taller, but skinnier, Aden. Finn adjusted the black lapels on his white jacket, smoothing any creases that Aden caused. "Nope. All good here, right Madi?"

Madi just rolled her eyes. "I think I'm going to head home," she said. "I'm not feeling too well." 

Aden cast a worried look to his best friend. "Are you sure?" He asked.

Madi nodded. She wasn't having any fun and Finn was a jerk and Aden was too busy dancing with Josephine to notice her.

And worst of all… Aden, in his dark blue tux and black shirt, looked  _ good _ .

Josephine appeared behind Aden, pulling his hand to get him to go dance. He pulled away and told her he'd be right back.

"You want me to walk you home, Mads?" Aden asked, running his hands through his textured pompadour. He had asked Madi for advice on changing up his hairstyle for the school year, and when he agreed to the look she had chosen, she realized she was  _ so not ready _ for it.

"No, I'm okay," Madi said. "Go enjoy your time with Josephine."

Aden's face fell. 

Josephine yelled for his attention again, and Madi brushed past him, determined to leave before she did something stupid like face her suddenly flaring jealousy.

"Yeah, I got it from here, pal," Finn said. He patted Aden's shoulder as he chased after Madi, much to Aden’s annoyance.

***

"Whoa, hey, Madi, wait up!" Finn called as he raced down the steps. He hiccupped and stumbled to try and catch up to her.

When he finally caught her at the bottom of the stairs, he spun her around, keeping a firm grasp on her arm. "Where are you going?" 

"Home. Goodnight Finn," she said, trying to tug her arm free.

"I'll take you home," he said with a sly smile.

"No, I'm okay," Madi insisted. 

"I don't think you understand," Finn said, squeezing harder on her arm. "I'm taking you home," he hiccupped again.

"Let go of me, you slimy prick." Madi tugged her arm forcefully away, angry and hurt and frustrated at the entire night. "Back off!" She yelled, and wiggled her nose. 

Immediately there was a puff of smoke and a flash of light.

Madi blinked, terrified that she had just used magic in public, but was relieved to know that they were alone. When she looked back to where Finn was standing; however, he was gone.

A croaking noise sounded from her feet and she looked down to see a tiny frog hopping in front of her.

She laughed and slumped onto the stairs. “Slimy bastard,” she sighed.

Finn hopped away, but before he could reach too far, Madi changed him back, sobered him up and casting a memory removal spell. Finn stood in front of her in a daze for a moment. "You came to the dance on your own. Wanted to, ‘be a bachelor’. You were just out here for fresh air." Finn continued to stare at her as the spell took hold, then he blinked into consciousness.

"Hey," he said. "What are you doing out here?" 

"Waiting for my ride."

"Cool," he said. He dusted off his jacket and looked around. "Alright, well, later."

Madi sighed a breath of relief when he left.

The breath turned into a sob as her thoughts of Aden and Josephine and her confusing feelings took over. She sniffed, trying to stop the tears from ruining her makeup, and with a puff of smoke and a flash of light, Clarke and Lexa appeared in front of their daughter.

"What the - Madi?" Clarke was the first to notice their daughter sitting on the stairs.

"Hi, mom," she greeted, fighting back the tears. 

"Oh, baby," Clarke cooed, sitting and wrapping her daughter in a hug. Lexa joined her on the other side, rubbing Madi's back gently. "What happened?"

"I'm so stupid," Madi sobbed. "I never should have come here." 

"You're okay," Lexa consoled. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Madi shook her head and buried it between her arms, hunched over her knees.

Lexa looked over at her wife, knowing this had something to do with Aden but not knowing what to do. Clarke shrugged. She supposed there was nothing to do but be there for Madi.

"Mrs. And Mrs. Griffin-Woods?" Aden's voice sounded unsurely from the top of the stairs. "What are you guys - where's Madi?" He asked, the clicking if his heels sounding as he hurried down the stairs.

"Go away, Aden," Madi sobbed from her hiding spot between her mothers.

"Mads, are you okay? What did Finn do?" Aden walked around to look at his best friend hunched in a ball. He squatted in hopes of being able to see her face. 

Madi laughed at the tone of Aden's voice. He was the gentlest person she had ever met, and she didn't understand why he would even be concerned with what happened. She looked up and glared at him. "Shouldn't you be inside with Josephine?"

Aden's brow furrowed. "I mean, I guess? You didn't want me to walk you home --"

"Oh, so it's  _ my  _ fault?"

"-- Lexa and I will be waiting in the parking lot, okay?" Clarke interjected. She squeezed Madi's knee and whispered, "he's your best friend. Talk to him," and then pulled her wife to her feet. 

***

The two mom's walked hand in hand to the parking lot.

"Should we listen?" Lexa asked.

"Yep," Clarke said, popping the P. "Their story is one that is painfully familiar."

"Mutual pining, but complete obliviousness?"

"Sounds like a story I know well."

"Who you calling oblivious?" Lexa teased, biting her wife's shoulder playfully. Clarke laughed, and Lexa pulled her into her chest. "Dishes for the week that Madi kisses him first."

"You're so on. Foot Rub on Aden," Clarke replied.

***

Madi chewed the inside of her cheek and avoided Aden's concerned gaze. 

"I don't think it's your fault for anything," he said after Madi's parents were far enough away. He took a step forward, then hesitated. "I was just worried. Finn's a douche."

\--

_ "Some things haven't changed," Lexa whispered to Clarke.  _

_ "We really shouldn't be listening," Clarke s _ aid.

_ Lexa shrugged. _

\--

Madi let out a pained laugh. "Yeah, seems like you really cared. You didn't say anything when he asked me, but  _ now  _ you have a problem with him?"

"You're the one who said they didn't want to go to this stupid dance," Aden retorted.

\--

_ "She's basically you, but brunette," Lexa whispered. _

_ "Shut it, Woods," Clarke countered. _

\--

Madi threw her hand up in the air. "Not with Finn!"

Aden threw his hands up in the air, too. "Then why did you say yes?!" His voice grew louder with impatience and confusion.

"Because I had no other options!" Madi shouted.

"You said you didn't want to go!" Aden shouted back.

_ \-- _

_ "Okay, here we go," Clarke said. She rubbed her hands together as she watched. _

_ "Did we sound like this?" Lexa asked. _

_ "Of course not. We were  _ much  _ worse." _

\--

Madi scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. "Oh, like you would have asked me?"

"Yes!" Aden shouted. "Yes, Madi, I would have asked you to go," he said at a much more respectable volume. He shook his head at his best friend, then counted his steps as he paced back and forth in front of her. "I would have bought you a flower and taken you to dinner and got my dad to let me drive us so that we could skip out early if we wanted, but  _ you  _ said you didn't want to go."

\--

_ "Bingo!" Clarke cheered quietly. She stuck her tongue out at her wife. _

\--

"It's just a stupid highschool dance," Madi deflected, even as her arms fell to her sides.

"Yes, it is," Aden agreed. He kept his gaze downward and kicked a pebble by his shoe. "But, it wouldn't have been so bad if you were my date." He looked up at Madi as he spoke the words. 

Madi's back stiffened at his confession. The silence lingered for a moment as they stared at one another.

\--

_ "Come on, Aden, don't stop now!" Clarke whispered in encouragement.  _

_ "Don't freeze up, Mads!" Lexa said. _

\--

“Date?” she asked.

Aden shrugged. "Yeah, like, I dunno. Sure. Maybe. Yeah."

\--

_ Clarke groaned and ran her hand down her face. "Are you sure Aden isn't your kid?" _

\--

Madi gasped, "Like date date?"

"Yes," Aden laughed. "Date date."

"You - you - you like me?" Madi asked.

Aden laughed again.

"But, I'm a witch."

"So?"

\--

_ Lexa sighed. _

_ Clarke hugged her wife. _

\--

"So? What if I hurt you?"

Aden chuckled. "Yeah, right."

"I literally almost killed you when we were twelve. And sneezed you out of a building last month."

"Yes, but you then made me fly, which was  _ so cool _ , and you've got way better control than you did when you were twelve. Shit happens - magical powers or not."

"I just - I don't know why you like me."

"I like you because you're Madi. You're smart and strong and courageous and stubborn and oddly oblivious. And, yeah, you’re a witch, which is actually really cool, but I've kinda liked you for a long time anyway. Even when you were wiping my memories."

\--

_ "Just kiss her already!" Clarke yelled. _

_ Lexa pulled her wife behind the tree, scolding her for cheating as Clarke erupted into laughter. _

\--

Aden's face turned bright red as he glanced at Clarke and Lexa poorly hidden behind a tree.

"I'm not going to kiss you in front of your par --"

His words were cut off by Madi's lips smashing into his own.

-

_ Lexa cheered loudly and snapped her fingers while Clarke booed.  _

-

Fireworks cracked over the teenagers heads as their lips pressed together. They pulled away, faces red as tomatoes.

"Your mama is so extra."

Madi laughed. "She's probably going to kill you, so just accept it."

Lexa and Clarke strolled up to them, laughing.

"Finally!" Clarke groaned. "We've been waiting for this for years now!"

Aden's cheeks grew even hotter, and he tangled his fingers together behind his back unsurely.

"What's say we go get some ice cream?" Lexa offered the teenagers. She snapped her fingers and both kids' outfits turned into their favourite sweats and running shoes.

"Oh, thank God," Madi sighed. "I thought my ankle was going to break in those heels."

Aden reached for her hand and she smiled up at him while interlocking their fingers. "I think you look great in anything you wear."

"Oh, Aden?" Lexa said casually.

"Yes?"

Madi groaned as Lexa said, "I think you and I need to have a little chat."


	12. Trick or Treat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa and Madi choose to trick instead of treat.

"Mads? Aden? You guys ready to go?" Lexa asked.

"Go where?", Madi questioned, dropping her head back on the couch to look at her mother standing in the doorway. 

"Trick or treating?" Lexa said unsurely. "Where are your costumes?"

"Maaaa," Madi whined. "I'm too old to be trick or treating."

"No one is too old for candy," Lexa corrected with a pout.

"No way, Ma," Madi said.

Aden attempted to be the mediator and said, "I actually don't mind -,"

"Shut it, Forrest," Lexa snapped at Aden, cutting him off. 

He clenched his jaw and played with his hands nervously. Lexa never would admit that she got a little thrill out of scaring the boy. She absolutely adored him, and thought he was perfect for her daughter, but loved that he found her intimidating when no one else in her household did.

Madi rolled her eyes. "I'm seventeen. I'm over that stuff."

Lexa gaped at her daughter as she waved her off. Madi turned back to the television, and Aden gave an awkward smile to Lexa. She stuck her tongue out at him in response.

***

"What does she mean 'too old'?" Lexa asked, pacing the bedroom. "We - she - she used to do it all the time!"

"Babe," Clarke spoke softly from the bed, not to startle her frazzled wife. "Baby, come here."

"Clarke, she can't be too old. She's my  _ kid _ ." Lexa's voice cracked slightly, and Clarke opened her arms to welcome Lexa into her embrace.

"Maybe we start a new tradition. What else can we do other than treats?"

They sat quietly for a moment while Lexa pondered how to keep Madi involved in the spirit of Halloween.

"I got it," she laughed, giving her wife a copy smile. "Instead of treat… we can trick."

***

"Listen up, Madi Griffin-Woods. We are hereby commencing Project Trick Or Treat." 

Madi stared up at her mothers. Both were wearing face paint and camouflage.

"O...Kay?"

Clarke cleared her throat. "Henceforward, we will no longer be looting the town for candy, but having our own prank wars. Winner gets a hundred dollars."

"Oh, you are  _ so on!" _ Madi cheered. "Mama needs a new skateboard."

"What?" Lexa asked, breaking character. "I don't need a skateboard."

Madi huffed. "No it's -,"

"It's just an expression, honey," Clarke explained. "Okay, Madi, to make it fair, we're only doing  _ human  _ pranks, so Aden and I can help. Nothing dangerous, and nothing  _ permanent _ . The team to successfully pull off the most pranks by the end of this month wins."

Madi and her mom's shook on it. When she shook Lexa's hand; however, Madi yelped and leaped back, rubbing the palm of her hand.

Lexa smirked and waved her hand at her daughter. In her palm was a tiny little hand buzzer. 

"Looks like we're up one," she smirked.

Madi narrowed her eyes and cracked her knuckles. "You're going to pay."

***

Aden fell off the back of his bike at the sound of the foghorn from the car driving by.

He looked up and saw his girlfriend's mama laughing at him.

***

"Lex, can you come in here?" 

Madi hid behind the mattress of her mothers' room, giggling at her boyfriend as he tried desperately to clear his throat. Madi had cast a spell to make him sound like Clarke. She knew it was cheating, but she couldn’t think of a reason to get her mama to come upstairs without tipping her off.

"Coming!"

The floorboards creaked as Lexa approached the bedroom. Aden and Madi had to hold their hand over the other's mouth to get the giggles to quieten.

"Babe?" Lexa called, opening the door.

There was a loud SPLASH, the squeak of Lexa’s shocked yelp, and then the loud thud of her falling to the floor.

Madi and Aden's giggles turned into full bellied laughs as they stood up from behind the mattress to find Lexa lying on her butt, soaked from the bucket of water that was balancing on the edge of the door.

"Trick or treat!" Madi yelled, but her expression faltered when Lexa grimaced on the ground. "Ma? You okay?" She asked.

Lexa groaned and winced again. "Help me," she said. "I think I hit my head."

Madi and Aden both rushed to her side, extending an arm to help her from the floor. But, instead of standing, Lexa pulled them both down, soaking their clothes in the puddle underneath.

"Trick," Lexa answered with a laugh. She stood and ran out of the room before the teenagers could react.

"Ugh!" Madi yelled, splashing the water in Aden's face as she slammed her hand down in frustration.

***

Just as Aden rounded the corner, Lexa pressed down on the trigger of the foghorn.

He screamed and fell into the wall, clutching his heart.

***

Lexa could barely contain herself as she placed clear tape over the toilet seat. She knew that this one was mean, but she also knew that her daughter deserved it after soaking her through.

She exited the bathroom and ran straight into her wife.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Clarke asked.

"Don't use that one," Lexa replied.

Clarke rolled her eyes. "Fine, but you gotta clean up any mess."

The day carried on as normal, until Madi walked to the bathroom before dinner. Lexa and Clarke both laughed at the sound of her screams.

"We're awful parents," Lexa said around a laugh.

"The worst," Clarke agreed.

They high fived.

***

Early mornings were always tough for Clarke. She worked the most ridiculous hours at the hospital when she was in her residency and had a hard time adjusting to a nine to five when she moved to her own practice.

So, she wasn't prepared to walk into a wall of clear tape as she exited her bedroom.

"Madi!" She screamed, desperately trying to dislodge herself from the sticky material without ripping out her hair. 

Madi laughed, snapped a picture on her phone to send to Aden, and left her mother (partly out of fear of retaliation).

***

Lexa felt bad for almost a full second before squeezing down on the foghorn. 

Aden startled so violently that he fell right off the couch and curled into a fetal position. "Please don't tell Madi," he begged.

Lexa just winked.

***

Madi screamed when she unrolled the toilet paper to see a spider. She poofed herself into Aden's waiting arms outside of the bathroom.

"What's wrong, love?" Clarke asked, a mischievous smile to her lips.

"Spider!" Madi yelled.

Clarke unrolled the toilet paper to show the detailed painting if the spider she put on the roll. "Gotcha!"

***

Aden swung the door open to Madi's room and screamed as the door handle hit the foghorn stuck to the wall.

"Mrs. Griffin-Woods is trying to kill me," he said to no one in particular.

***

Lexa was in a rush to get ready, her alarm clock not going off in the morning (thanks to Madi unplugging it).

She scrambled out of the shower and immediately went to dry her hair. Except, it wouldn't start. She turned it on and off a few times to no avail. She unplugged it and plugged it back in, flipped the switch and a puff of baby powder exploded from the end of the hair dryer, coating her face in a thick layer.

Lexa grumbled and swung open the bathroom door, ready to snap Madi into another period of time when she walked right into the lanky figure of Aden.

"M-M-Mrs. Griffin-Woods!" He greeted. "You look -,"

Lexa snapped her fingers and removed his mouth from his face, and Aden's eyes widened in fright.

Suddenly, Aden's mouth was restored and Madi's laughter sounded from the end of the hall. "You okay, Ma? You look white as a ghost!" She said, pointing at her mom before vanishing with a wiggle of her nose.

Lexa laughed and chased after her.

***

Lexa kissed her wife, snuggling into her arm on their mattress. She felt the warm pull of sleep overcome her and she sighed, happy to fall asleep with the love of her life for another night.

The sounds of birds chirping and the glow of sunrise helped wake Lexa in the morning. She yawned and stretched her arms above her head, enjoying the cracks and pops of her muscles.

When she opened her eyes, she nearly screamed.

She and Clarke were floating in the middle of the local lake. 

Clarke woke shortly after, shooting up at Lexa's shocked expression. She took in their surroundings and let out a hard bark of laughter.

"Our daughter is an evil genius."

***

One month of pranks later, and the Griffin-Woods gang collapsed onto the couch together.

"Alright, alright, that was fun," Lexa said to her daughter.

"Fun? That was  _ awesome! _ " Madi countered. She reached across her boyfriend to give her mama a big hug.

"Who won?" Aden asked.

Lexa tapped her chin. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a hundred dollar bill, holding it out for her daughter to take. "I think you deserve this."

Madi, eyes wide, reached for the money, but stopped. "No, mama, I think you guys won this year. You deserve it."

"No, I insist," Lexa said.

"No,  _ I insist _ ," Madi replied.

"No, you," Lexa said.

"No,  _ you _ ."

"Oh, Jesus," Clarke groaned.

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Mads," Aden said, reaching over to take the money.

"Aden, wait --,"

With a poof, Aden was transformed into a black kitten the size of Lexa's hand.

"Oh my God, he's so cute!" Madi gasped.

"I actually don't mind him like this," Lexa teased.

Aden purred in Lexa's embrace, crawling up her shoulder and nuzzling under her chin.

"Suck up," Lexa scolded, a small smile on her lips as she played with kitten-Aden.

"Don't let the big meanie scare you," Clarke said to Aden. "It's totally working on her." 


	13. New Adventures Await

"Well, we're here," Lexa said, kicking open the door to Madi's dorm room. She waited for Madi to choose a bed, holding the heavy box in her grip.

"Finally," the eighteen years old says, she dropped her backpack on the bed closest to the window. "That drive was insane."

"You slept the entire time." Lexa set the box down and wiped her brow.

"I  _ know! _ I don't know how you just drove fifteen hours without falling asleep."

"Good co-pilot," Clarke answered. She dropped a box at the foot of the bed Madi chose, immediately pulling out sheets and a comforter set.

"Best co-pilot," Lexa corrected, earning a sweet smile from her love.

"You guys are gross," Madi teased. There was a lingering silence, and the brunette turned away from her parents, busying herself with unpacking her stuff.

Clarke finished making the bed and started making a list of things to set up in Madi's room. "Do you have a whiteboard?" She asked. 

Madi hummed and searched through the boxes, pausing at the ratty old stuffed raccoon and stuffed griffon she's had since she was born. She sighed.

"Madi?" Clarke asked.

"Yes, um, right here," she answered, forcing down the knot in her throat.

"I'm gonna get the mini fridge," Lexa mumbled, leaving quickly.

Clarke sighed. "She's sad. You know how your mama copes."

"It's just for a couple months. I'll be home at Thanksgiving and Christmas." Madi deflected from her own feelings, assuring her mom that she's excited to be here. 

Of course she's excited to be there. Aden is there, and she's going to make a ton of new friends. Lexa even made contact with the local Coven and Madi was already in contact with a few other witches on campus.

It was going to be the best time of her life.

"You're right." Clarke tried her best to stop her chin from quivering. She cleared her throat and started unpacking the rest of Madi's boxes, focusing on folding her clothes and putting them in the drawers.

Lexa barged in moments later, carrying the mini fridge with surprising ease. Madi scrambled to help but she was waved off. "I'm old, but I still got it," she teased.

"You literally could have used your magic to get it up here."

"That's why you don't have guns like these," Lexa said, flexing in front of her daughter.

Madi rolled her eyes and wiggled her nose, laughing as her mama's biceps deflated like balloons. Lexa blew on her thumbs until her biceps returned to normal size.

"Okay, but I'm starving and we have all day to unpack. My first official college action is ordering a pizza for us."

"Now you're talking," Clarke said. "But, please don't make this a regular thing. We bought you the meal plan so you don't binge on cookies and pizza."

"Yes, mom," Madi droned. 

"Must be rough to have a doctor as a mother," Lexa chirped.

"The  _ worst _ ." Madi joked.

A t-shirt smacked her in the face before she could place the call for pizza.

***

Bellies full, Clarke, Lexa and Madi finished setting up her room.

Well, Clarke and Madi. Lexa kept disappearing, claiming they forgot something in the car, or going to the store to pick up anything and everything Madi could have ever needed.

"Is she mad?" Madi asked.

"Of course not. She is so proud of you, and I think she feels honoured that you chose to go to our Alma Mater, even if it is hours away from home."

"How'd you two end up here anyway?"

"Lex had a soccer scholarship, and this was my mom's Alma mater."

"Oh, so I just have a superstar and a family dynasty of life-saving doctors to live up to."

Clarke laughed and pulled her daughter into a hug. "You're going to create your own path, Madicakes. Whatever you choose, your mama and I will support you completely."

"Thanks, mom," Madi said. She breathed in the comforting scent of her mother, clinging a little tighter to her before pulling away. 

***

It was an hour later when Lexa finally returned with the 'appropriate sized sticky notes' Madi needed for lectures. 

She was sitting in Madi's desk chair, explaining the use of each item. "Okay, so I've even managed to get all the colours and you can coordinate with Aden about -,"

"I'm going to miss you, too, mama," Madi said, cutting off Lexa's ramble.

Lexa swallowed and stared at her daughter - the perfect balance of her and Clarke. She should have known she'd call her out on her feelings.

Lexa looked at her wife, who was smiling at the scene in front of her. 

"Right," Lexa said, dusting her hands off. She stood from her chair and cleared her throat. Madi immediately wrapped her in a hug, and both clung a little longer.

There was a ruckus of noise outside Madi's door, loud music starting, kids yelling, and the sounds of footsteps running up and down.

Aden knocked and then opened the door to Madi's dorm. He was covered in purple paint, with a giant 'A' painted in gold on his bare chest. "Mads, let's go - oh, hi Mrs. And Mrs. GW." Realizing he wasn't wearing a shirt, Aden covered his nipples with his hands, a tiny squeak coming from his lips. "I'll come back -,"

"No, it's okay, Aden," Clarke said around a laugh. "We were just leaving."

Madi turned to her parents and gave them both another tight hug. "I'll be home in no time," she said with a smile.

Lexa glared at Aden as she passed. "You better study, Forrest."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied. "Coach has high expectations of me because of my connection to you. I won't let you down."

"I know," Lexa said with a wink. She brushed his messy hair out of his face and pulled him in for a hug. "Love you, kid," she said.

Aden was shocked into silence at the display of affection. "L-l-love you, too, Mrs. GW." His cheeks would have been red if it weren't for the purple paint covering his features.

"See you later!" Madi called from her bedroom window as her parents walked to their car. She waved violently and smiled from ear to ear, and let out a loud 'whoop' at the increase in volume of the music.

"She's happy," Clarke said. "She'll do well here."

Lexa was silent until they reached the car. As soon as she sat in the driver's seat, she broke down. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and all Clarke could do was cry with her. 

They clutched one another's hands as the tears fell, missing their daughter.

"She's not a baby anymore," Clarke murmured.

"She's  _ our _ baby," Lexa corrected. Another sob escaped her. Clarke gently pulled her wife's head towards her shoulder as she let out the emotion she tried to keep inside.

***

"Go catch up with your teammates," Madi said to her boyfriend. "I'm going to just finish up here and I'll meet you in the quad." She pressed a sweet kiss to her boyfriend's lips, and Aden gave her a lopsided, goofy smile.

"I'm glad you're here with me, Mads. This is going to be great."

"Me too," she replied. She pushed him out the door with a laugh and closed it behind him.

She turned and sighed. It was the first moment of silence, and she  _ hated  _ it.

Madi walked over to her bed and laid in it for the first time, her body tired from unpacking. She rolled into her pillow and took a deep breath. Tears welled in her eyes at the scent of home. She clutched her stuffed Raccoon and Griffon to her chest and let out a loud sob, sniffing and coughing on the flood of sadness.

She missed her moms.

A flash of light and a poof of smoke appeared in the middle of her room, and Clarke and Lexa fell on their asses on Madi's dorm room floor.

"Madi?" Lexa asked, wiping the tears from her face to hide the evidence of her crying.

Clarke sniffed back her own.

Madi sprung off her mattress into the arms of her Mama and her Mom. "I love you guys. I'm gonna miss you so much," she cried.

Lexa held onto her daughter with all of her might. Clarke held onto them both. "We love you," Lexa said. "We love you and we will miss you every day."

"But, we're so proud of you, Madi," Clarke added. "We're excited for you."

"We're just a nose wiggle away," Lexa said. She placed a kiss on Madi's nose.

Lexa reached to the stuffed Griffon and Raccoon and tucked them into Madi's arms. 

"I love you, baby," Lexa said. 

"I love you, honey," Clarke added. "We'll call you when we stop for the night."

"Okay," Madi breathed. "Promise?"

"Pinky promise," Clarke said. "Go catch up with your boyfriend. We want to know about all the adventures you're going to go on while you're here."

"But, you can't do that if you don't go," Lexa added.

Madi shuffled out of her parents hold, clinging to her stuffed animals. 

"Thanks, mom; mama." She wiped her eyes and tucked her toys back into her bed. After washing her face, Madi made her way to the door of her room. She placed her hand on the handle of the door, and turned to look back at her parents. "I love you," she said.

Lexa slung her arm around Clarke's waist and waved at her daughter. 

Madi turned and opened the door to her new adventure, just as Lexa snapped her fingers to take her and her wife home to theirs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that's a wrap on Clextober 2019!
> 
> I absolutely adore this universe, and will always take prompts to add to the lives of these characters. It can be baby, toddler, teenager or adult Madi - you name it. Just HMU here, on instagram or on Tumblr @ jordswriteswords and let me know!
> 
> Witch!Lexa and Witch!Madi will live on!
> 
> Happy Halloween!


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